Appendix F: 

Traffic and Transportation

Discipline Report

Point Defiance Bypass 

Project

Transportation

Discipline Report

September 2012

Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page i

Table of Contents

Summary......................................................................................................................................................... 1

What do we know about the Project?......................................................................................................... 1

How would the Project affect transportation? ............................................................................................. 4

Would the Project require minimization?.................................................................................................... 5

How does the transportation system work without the Project? ................................................................. 6

Chapter 1 – Project Description ...................................................................................................................... 9

Introduction................................................................................................................................................. 9

Purpose and Need ..................................................................................................................................... 9

What alternatives are being considered for the Point Defiance Bypass Project? ..................................... 10

What’s happening in the bypass corridor today?...................................................................................... 10

What would happen if the Project were not built?..................................................................................... 11

What are the proposed improvements and related activities of the Point Defiance Bypass Project?....... 11

What are the proposed operational changes that would result from the Point Defiance Bypass Project? 12

Chapter 2 – Methodology.............................................................................................................................. 15

How were the Project’s effects on transportation evaluated?................................................................... 15

What information on existing conditions did WSDOT and FRA obtain through field work for this report? 18

How was travel demand determined? ...................................................................................................... 18

What time periods were evaluated? ......................................................................................................... 19

Once travel demand was established, how were local street operations evaluated?............................... 20

How was the safety of highway and rail crossings studied?..................................................................... 22

Chapter 3 – Studies and Coordination .......................................................................................................... 25

How does this report relate to previous environmental studies completed for the Project?...................... 25

How did the Project team coordinate with the public, local cities, Pierce County, and agencies?............ 26

Chapter 4 – Affected Environment ................................................................................................................ 29

What is rail service like in the study area? ............................................................................................... 29

What are the roadway characteristics? .................................................................................................... 32

How do the roadways operate now? ........................................................................................................ 33

What is bus service like in the study area? .............................................................................................. 74

How does truck freight move on the local streets?................................................................................... 76

What are the pedestrian and bicycle facilities in the study area? ............................................................. 76

What are the parking conditions in the study area?.................................................................................. 76

How do train operations affect traffic?...................................................................................................... 78

What are the roadway safety concerns in the study area?....................................................................... 80

Chapter 5 – Project Effects ........................................................................................................................... 85

How would the Project affect freight travel? ............................................................................................. 85

How would the Project affect passenger rail services? ............................................................................ 86

How would the Project affect bus transit? ................................................................................................ 86

How would the new Tacoma Amtrak Station location affect pedestrian connections, parking, and traffic 

operations?............................................................................................................................................... 87

How would the Project affect traffic on area roadways?........................................................................... 88
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page ii Transportation Discipline Report

How would the Project affect safety at rail crossings?.............................................................................. 90

How would the Project affect local traffic operations? .............................................................................. 95

How would the Project affect pedestrian travel?..................................................................................... 158

How would the Project affect bicycle travel? .......................................................................................... 158

How would the Project affect airport and aviation facilities?................................................................... 159

How would the Project affect parking? ................................................................................................... 159

How would the Project affect transportation during construction?.......................................................... 159

What are the indirect effects of the Project?........................................................................................... 161

What are the cumulative effects of the Project? ..................................................................................... 161

Chapter 6 – Recommended Minimization Measures................................................................................... 167

What measures would be taken to minimize the effects during construction? ....................................... 167

References.................................................................................................................................................. 169

List of Exhibits

Exhibit 1. Existing and Future Daily Rail Operations Along the Project Rail Line............................................ 3

Exhibit 2. Year 2030 No Build Alternative – Intersections Operating at LOS E or F........................................ 7

Exhibit 3. Build Alternative Components ....................................................................................................... 13

Exhibit 4. Study Area..................................................................................................................................... 16

Exhibit 5. Level of Service Criteria for Signalized and Unsignalized Intersections ........................................ 17

Exhibit 6. Study Intersections and Analysis Tools......................................................................................... 21

Exhibit 7. Existing Roadway Characteristics for Study Area Roadways........................................................ 32

Exhibit 8. Intersection LOS – Existing Year 2010, East “D” Street through South “C” Street ........................ 34

Exhibit 9. Intersection LOS – Existing Year 2010, South Chandler Street through South Pine Street .......... 35

Exhibit 10. Intersection LOS – Existing Year 2010, 50th Street Southwest through 60th Street Southwest ... 36

Exhibit 11. Intersection LOS – Existing Year 2010, South 74th Street through Steilacoom Boulevard 

Southwest ..................................................................................................................................................... 37

Exhibit 12. Intersection LOS – Existing Year 2010, 100th Street Southwest through Clover Creek Drive 

Southwest ..................................................................................................................................................... 38

Exhibit 13. Intersection LOS – Existing Year 2010, North Thorne Lane Southwest ...................................... 39

Exhibit 14. Intersection LOS – Existing Year 2010, Berkeley Street Southwest............................................ 40

Exhibit 15. Intersection LOS – Existing Year 2010, 41st Division Drive ......................................................... 41

Exhibit 16. Intersection LOS – Existing Year 2010, Barksdale Avenue......................................................... 42

Exhibit 17. Intersection LOS – Existing Year 2010, South Terminus Nisqually Junction............................... 43

Exhibit 18. Existing Queues and Storage at South 56th Street and South Adams Street/South Burlington Way

...................................................................................................................................................................... 44

Exhibit 19. Existing AM and PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for South 56th Street and 

South Adams Street/South Burlington Way .................................................................................................. 45

Exhibit 20. Existing Queues and Storage at South 56th Street and South Washington Street ...................... 46

Exhibit 21. Existing AM and PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for South 56th Street and 

South Washington Street .............................................................................................................................. 47

Exhibit 22. Existing Queues and Storage at South 56th Street and South Tacoma Way............................... 48

Exhibit 23. Existing AM and PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for South 56th Street and 

South Tacoma Way....................................................................................................................................... 49

Exhibit 24. Existing Queues and Storage at South 56th Street and South Puget Sound Avenue.................. 50
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page iii

Exhibit 25. Existing AM and PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for South 56th Street and South Puget 

Sound Avenue............................................................................................................................................... 51

Exhibit 26. Existing Queues and Storage at South 74th Street and South Tacoma Way............................... 52

Exhibit 27. Existing AM and PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for South 74th Street and 

South Tacoma Way....................................................................................................................................... 53

Exhibit 28. Existing Queues and Storage at North Thorne Lane Southwest and Union Avenue Southwest . 54

Exhibit 29. Existing AM and PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for North Thorne Lane Southwest and 

Union Avenue Southwest.............................................................................................................................. 55

Exhibit 30. Existing Queues and Storage at North Thorne Lane Southwest and I-5 Southbound Ramps..... 56

Exhibit 31. Existing AM and PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for North Thorne Lane Southwest and 

I-5 Southbound Ramps ................................................................................................................................. 57

Exhibit 32. Existing Queues and Storage at North Thorne Lane Southwest and I-5 Northbound Ramps ..... 58

Exhibit 33. Existing AM and PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for North Thorne Lane Southwest and 

I-5 Northbound Ramps.................................................................................................................................. 59

Exhibit 34. Existing Queues and Storage at Berkeley Street Southwest and Union Avenue Southwest....... 60

Exhibit 35. Existing AM and PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for Berkeley Street Southwest and 

Union Avenue Southwest.............................................................................................................................. 61

Exhibit 36. Existing Queues and Storage at Berkeley Street Southwest and I-5 Southbound Ramps .......... 62

Exhibit 37. Existing AM and PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for Berkeley Street Southwest and I-5 

Southbound Ramps ...................................................................................................................................... 63

Exhibit 38. Existing Queues and Storage at Berkeley Street Southwest and I-5 Northbound Ramps........... 64

Exhibit 39. Existing AM and PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for Berkeley Street Southwest and I-5 

Northbound Ramps ....................................................................................................................................... 65

Exhibit 40. Existing Queues and Storage at 41st Division Drive and I-5 Southbound Ramps........................ 66

Exhibit 41. Existing Queues and Storage at 41st Division Drive and I-5 Northbound Ramps ........................ 67

Exhibit 42. Existing AM and PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for 41st Division Drive and I-5 Ramps

...................................................................................................................................................................... 68

Exhibit 43. Existing Queues and Storage at Barksdale Avenue and Steilacoom-DuPont 

Road Southwest/Wilmington Drive................................................................................................................ 69

Exhibit 44. Existing AM and PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for Barksdale Avenue and 

Steilacoom-DuPont Road Southwest/Wilmington Drive................................................................................ 70

Exhibit 45. Existing Queues and Storage at Barksdale Avenue and I-5 Southbound Ramps ....................... 71

Exhibit 46. Existing AM and PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for Barksdale Avenue and I-5 

Southbound Ramps ...................................................................................................................................... 72

Exhibit 47. Existing Queues and Storage at Barksdale Avenue/Locust Road and I-5 Northbound Ramps... 73

Exhibit 48. Existing AM and PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for Barksdale Avenue/Locust Road 

and I-5 Northbound Ramps........................................................................................................................... 74

Exhibit 49. Transit Routes Using Project Highway/Rail Crossings ................................................................ 75

Exhibit 50. Tacoma Dome Station at Freighthouse Square .......................................................................... 77

Exhibit 51. Parking Survey Data.................................................................................................................... 78

Exhibit 52. Existing Highway/Rail Crossing Volumes.................................................................................... 79

Exhibit 53. Summary of Safety Improvement Opportunities Identified by Diagnostic Team.......................... 81

Exhibit 54. Corridor Accident Experience – 5-Year History and Prediction for Existing Year 2010 Conditions

...................................................................................................................................................................... 82

Exhibit 55. Individual Crossing Accident Experience – 5-Year History and Prediction for Existing Year 2010 

Conditions ..................................................................................................................................................... 84

Exhibit 56. 2030 AM and PM Peak Hour Roadway Volumes ........................................................................ 89
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

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Exhibit 57. Signal Controller Changes with the Build Alternative .................................................................. 91

Exhibit 58. Corridor Accident Experience – Predicted for Year 2030 Conditions .......................................... 92

Exhibit 59. Individual Crossing Accident Experience – Predicted for Year 2030 Conditions......................... 94

Exhibit 60. Future Year 2030 Peak Hour Overall Roadway Blockage by Trains ........................................... 98

Exhibit 61. Year 2030 No Build Alternative – Intersections Failing to Meet the LOS Standard ................... 100

Exhibit 62. Intersection LOS – Future Year 2030, East “D” Street through South “C” Street ...................... 101

Exhibit 63. Intersection LOS – Future Year 2030, South Chandler Street through South Pine Street ........ 102

Exhibit 64. Intersection LOS – Future Year 2030, 50th Street Southwest through 60th Street Southwest.... 103

Exhibit 65. Intersection LOS – Future Year 2030, South 74th Street through Steilacoom Blvd Southwest.. 104

Exhibit 66. Intersection LOS – Future Year 2030, 100th Street Southwest through Clover Creek 

Drive Southwest.......................................................................................................................................... 105

Exhibit 67. Intersection LOS – Future Year 2030, North Thorne Lane Southwest ...................................... 106

Exhibit 68. Intersection LOS – Future Year 2030, Berkeley Street Southwest............................................ 107

Exhibit 69. Intersection LOS – Future Year 2030, 41st Division Drive ......................................................... 108

Exhibit 70. Intersection LOS – Future Year 2030, Barksdale Avenue......................................................... 109

Exhibit 71. Year 2030 Intersections Improved by the Build Alternative ....................................................... 110

Exhibit 72. 2030 Queues and Storage at South 56th Street and South Adams Street/South Burlington Way

.................................................................................................................................................................... 112

Exhibit 73. 2030 AM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for South 56th Street and South Adams 

Street/South Burlington Way....................................................................................................................... 113

Exhibit 74. 2030 PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for South 56th Street and South Adams 

Street/South Burlington Way....................................................................................................................... 114

Exhibit 75. 2030 Queues and Storage at South 56th Street and South Washington Street......................... 115

Exhibit 76. 2030 AM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for South 56th Street and South Washington 

Street .......................................................................................................................................................... 116

Exhibit 77. 2030 PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for South 56th Street and 

South Washington Street ............................................................................................................................ 117

Exhibit 78. 2030 Queues and Storage at South 56th Street and South Tacoma Way ................................. 118

Exhibit 79. 2030 AM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for South 56th Street and South Tacoma Way 119

Exhibit 80. 2030 PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for South 56th Street and South Tacoma Way 120

Exhibit 81. 2030 Queues and Storage at South 56th Street and South Puget Sound Avenue..................... 121

Exhibit 82. 2030 AM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for South 56th Street and 

South Puget Sound Avenue........................................................................................................................ 122

Exhibit 83. 2030 PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for South 56th Street and 

South Puget Sound Avenue........................................................................................................................ 123

Exhibit 84. 2030 Queues and Storage at South 74th Street and South Tacoma Way ................................. 124

Exhibit 85. 2030 AM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for South 74th Street and South Tacoma Way 125

Exhibit 86. 2030 PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for South 74th Street and South Tacoma Way 126

Exhibit 87. 2030 Queues and Storage at North Thorne Lane Southwest and Union Avenue Southwest.... 127

Exhibit 88. 2030 AM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for North Thorne Lane Southwest and 

Union Avenue Southwest............................................................................................................................ 128

Exhibit 89. 2030 PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for North Thorne Lane Southwest and 

Union Avenue Southwest............................................................................................................................ 129

Exhibit 90. 2030 Queues and Storage at North Thorne Lane Southwest and I-5 Southbound Ramps ....... 130

Exhibit 91. 2030 AM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for North Thorne Lane Southwest and 

I-5 Southbound Ramps ............................................................................................................................... 131
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

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Exhibit 92. 2030 PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for North Thorne Lane Southwest and 

I-5 Southbound Ramps ............................................................................................................................... 132

Exhibit 93. 2030 Queues and Storage at North Thorne Lane Southwest and I-5 Northbound Ramps........ 133

Exhibit 94. 2030 AM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for North Thorne Lane Southwest and 

I-5 Northbound Ramps................................................................................................................................ 134

Exhibit 95. 2030 PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for North Thorne Lane Southwest and 

I-5 Northbound Ramps................................................................................................................................ 135

Exhibit 96. 2030 Queues and Storage at Berkeley Street Southwest and Union Avenue Southwest ......... 136

Exhibit 97. 2030 AM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for Berkeley Street Southwest and Union Avenue 

Southwest ................................................................................................................................................... 137

Exhibit 98. 2030 PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for Berkeley Street Southwest and Union Avenue 

Southwest ................................................................................................................................................... 138

Exhibit 99. 2030 Queues and Storage at Berkeley Street Southwest and I-5 Southbound Ramps............. 139

Exhibit 100. 2030 AM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for Berkeley Street Southwest and 

I-5 Southbound Ramps ............................................................................................................................... 140

Exhibit 101. 2030 PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for Berkeley Street Southwest and 

I-5 Southbound Ramps ............................................................................................................................... 141

Exhibit 102. 2030 Queues and Storage at Berkeley Street Southwest and I-5 Northbound Ramps ........... 142

Exhibit 103. 2030 AM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for Berkeley Street Southwest and 

I-5 Northbound Ramps................................................................................................................................ 143

Exhibit 104. 2030 PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for Berkeley Street Southwest and 

I-5 Northbound Ramps................................................................................................................................ 144

Exhibit 105. 2030 Queues and Storage at 41st Division Drive and I-5 Southbound Ramps ........................ 145

Exhibit 106. 2030 Queues and Storage at 41st Division Drive and I-5 Northbound Ramps......................... 145

Exhibit 107. 2030 AM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for 41st Division Drive and I-5 Ramps ........... 146

Exhibit 108. 2030 PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for 41st Division Drive and I-5 Ramps ........... 147

Exhibit 109. 2030 Queues and Storage at Barksdale Avenue and Steilacoom-DuPont Road Southwest/ 

Wilmington Drive......................................................................................................................................... 148

Exhibit 110. 2030 AM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for Barksdale Avenue and Steilacoom-DuPont 

Road Southwest/Wilmington Drive.............................................................................................................. 149

Exhibit 111. 2030 PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for Barksdale Avenue and Steilacoom-DuPont 

Road Southwest/Wilmington Drive.............................................................................................................. 150

Exhibit 112. 2030 Queues and Storage at Barksdale and I-5 Southbound Ramps..................................... 151

Exhibit 113. 2030 AM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for Barksdale Avenue and I-5 Southbound 

Ramps......................................................................................................................................................... 152

Exhibit 114. 2030 PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for Barksdale Avenue and I-5 Southbound 

Ramps......................................................................................................................................................... 153

Exhibit 115. 2030 Queues and Storage at Barksdale Avenue/Locust Road and I-5 Northbound Ramps ... 154

Exhibit 116. 2030 AM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for Barksdale Avenue/Locust Road and I-5 

Northbound Ramps ..................................................................................................................................... 155

Exhibit 117. 2030 PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for Barksdale Avenue/Locust Road and I-5 

Northbound Ramps ..................................................................................................................................... 156

Exhibit 118. Example Effect of Train Crossing on Queue Lengths.............................................................. 158

Exhibit 119. Future 2030 Level of Service with Cross-Base Highway and Project Alternatives .................. 162

Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 1

Summary

What do we know about the Project?

Who is leading the Project and who are the Project partners?

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is the federal project lead and 

the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is the lead 

state agency for the proposed high-speed rail Project. In leading, WSDOT

and FRA sought input from the public and the following Project partners 

(most are jurisdictions in which the Project is located):

• City of DuPont

• City of Lakewood

• City of Tacoma

• Pierce County

• Sound Transit

• Clover Park School District

• Joint Base Lewis McChord (JBLM)

• Camp Murray

• Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)

Where is the Project located?

The Project is located in Pierce County (see Exhibit 3) along an 

approximately 20-mile existing corridor.1 The northern limit of the Project

is at TR Junction near the Interstate 5 (I-5) overcrossing of the Puyallup 

River and East Bay Street in Tacoma. The southern limit of the Project is 

at Nisqually about one-third of a mile due north of where Nisqually Road 

crosses the Nisqually River. 

How would the Project change the rail network?

The Project would improve railroad track and support facilities, and 

relocate the Tacoma Amtrak Station. Following are the five major 

components of the Project:

• Construct a new track adjacent to the existing main line 

between South Tacoma and Lakewood

 1 The three owners of the proposed Project corridor are Sound Transit, Tacoma Rail, and BNSF.
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 2 Transportation Discipline Report

• Reconstruct and rehabilitate the existing main line track

• Improve the connection to the main line near Nisqually

• Construct improvements at existing at-grade crossings to

improve safety features and allow high-speed rail operations

• Relocate the Tacoma Amtrak Station to the Tacoma Dome 

Station at Freighthouse Square in Tacoma

No new at-grade highway or rail crossings are planned within the study

area. No at-grade crossings would be closed with the Project.

How would passenger rail operations change with 

the Project?

With the Project, Amtrak would increase the 

frequency of daily passenger trains through the study 

area by adding two more daily trips. This increase is 

possible because Amtrak would shift service onto the 

Bypass Route, which would have the following 

effects:

• Between TR Junction and East “D” Street in Tacoma, the 

addition of Amtrak expanded service would increase daily 

train trips from 28-42.

• Between East “D” Street and South “M” Street in Tacoma, 

the addition of Amtrak expanded service would increase 

daily train trips from 16-30.

• Between South “M” Street and the Sound Transit Layover 

Facility, the addition of Amtrak expanded service would 

increase daily train trips from 30-44.

• Between the Sound Transit Layover Facility and the Sound 

Transit Lakewood Station, the addition of Amtrak expanded 

service would increase daily train trips from 20-34.

• South of the Sound Transit Lakewood Station to the BNSF 

connection, where Sounder commuter rail stops, train 

frequency would increase from two trips daily (existing 

freight trains) to 16 trips.

Exhibit 1 summarizes the rail service changes with the Project by segment.

Train trip: A train trip is 

defined as the movement 

between one station or point 

and another, not as a round 

trip; for example, a train 

traveling from Tacoma to 

Portland would be one trip 

and the return trip from 

Portland to Tacoma would be 

another. A round trip is made 

up of two trips.
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 3

Exhibit 1. Existing and Future Daily Rail Operations Along the Project Rail Line

Project Rail Line Segment

Freight2 Sound Transit Sounder Amtrak Cascades

Amtrak Coast 

Starlight

Existing Proposed

Existing/ 

Startup 2012 Proposed Existing Proposed Existing Proposed

TR Junction to East “D” 

Street (Tacoma)

2 2 263/18 26 None 12 None 2

East “D” Street to South

“M” Street (Tacoma)4

None None None/10 14 None 12 None 2

South “M” Street to Sound 

Transit Layover Facility5

2 2 None/10 14 None 12 None 2

Sound Transit Layover 

Facility to Lakewood 

Station6

2 2 None/207 28 None 12 None 2

Lakewood Station to 

BNSF Connection

2 2 None None None 12 None 2

Proposed passenger train service on the Point Defiance Bypass Route

would be the predominant use of the line, with only two freight trains 

daily. In contrast, the Point Defiance Bypass Route track would have more 

mobility for freight movements if high-speed passenger rail traffic was 

moved to the Bypass Route.

How would freight rail operations change with the Project?

With the Project, freight rail service on the water-level Point Defiance 

Bypass Route would encounter less congestion. On the Point Defiance 

Bypass Route, the two freight trains daily would encounter more rail 

congestion because of Amtrak passenger rail traffic.

Why is the Project being considered?

Amtrak provides service today using the Puget Sound Route along the 

Puget Sound coastline (the No Build Alternative). However, this existing

rail alignment through the study area is near capacity and Amtrak 

ridership has been growing. Physical and operational constraints adversely 

affect both passenger and freight train scheduling and reliability.

FRA and WSDOT developed the Project in response to deficiencies in the 

existing rail alignment around Point Defiance. The Project’s purpose is to 

 2 Tacoma Rail operates one round trip along the S. “M” Street/BNSF Connection route on a lessthan-daily schedule, and the BNSF occasionally operates trains for JBLM. 3 Eighteen daily round-trips from Seattle, including four non-revenue trips (four trains in the 

morning and the afternoon) from the “L” Street yard to the Tacoma Dome Station

4 There will be no freight trains between E. “C” Street and S. Chandler Street. 5 The Sound Transit layover facility is located between 100th Street SW and Steilacoom Boulevard 

SW, and is used to store Sounder trains overnight and clean their interiors.

6 The Sound Transit Lakewood Station is located at 11424 Pacific Hwy SW.

7 Ten of these trips will be non-revenue trips from the Sound Transit layover facility to the 

Lakewood Station.
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 4 Transportation Discipline Report

provide more frequent high-speed intercity passenger rail service between 

Tacoma and Nisqually. The Project needs are to enhance rail service

frequency, reliability, and efficiency, and to improve safety. 

What is the Project timeline?

The Project would likely be completed near the end of 2017. To 

understand the effects of the Project (the Build Alternative), the Project 

team used year 2030 as the design year to study Project effects on the 

transportation system.

How would the Project affect transportation?

Direct Effects

The following summarizes how the Project

would directly affect transportation:

• The addition of Amtrak service 

would slightly increase the average 

delay (by approximately five

second or less) at some 

intersections during the morning 

and evening peak hours. At 

intersections where signal improvements are being installed 

to improve safety, delay effects from the Project could be 

minimized.

• There would be no adverse effects on either rail or on-street 

transportation from the proposed upgrades to the existing line 

between Nisqually Junction and Freighthouse Square in 

Tacoma or from future use of the rail line. Rail capacity and 

function would be improved for passenger and freight trains 

by the improvements to the existing rail line.

• The Build Alternative would reduce the number of 

intersections exceeding the LOS D standard from nine to 

eight and would not degrade any intersections operating at 

acceptable levels with the No Build Alternative to 

substandard levels. A number of intersections would 

experience reduced delays with the improvements proposed 

in the Build Alternative.

• There would be no adverse effects on either rail or on-street 

transportation from the addition of the second rail line 

between South 66th Street and Bridgeport Way Southwest.

• Safety features at specific at-grade crossings would be 

improved as a result of the Project to allow for faster 

Sound Transit made 

improvements in 2009 and 2010 

from Bridgeport Way SW to S. 

Chandler Street and is building 

more improvements from 

S. Chandler Street to E. “D” 

Street in Tacoma, set to be 

completed in late 2012. These 

improvements were designed to 

accommodate future Amtrak 

services with some exceptions.
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 5

passenger and freight train movements at these crossings,

which would benefit both roadway and rail traffic mobility.

Indirect Effects

The only potential indirect effect tied to the Project is that it may 

indirectly influence limited redevelopment near the relocated Amtrak 

Station at Freighthouse Square and (see Land Use Discipline Report, 

Appendix M). Such redevelopment would be consistent with local land 

use and zoning regulations, and could include the addition of commercial 

businesses. Redevelopment could attract additional vehicle traffic to the 

Freighthouse Square area. This increase in traffic could have a minor 

indirect effect on the transportation resources in the area.

Temporary/Construction Effects

During construction, temporary effects such as lane closures and full 

closures of the streets at the at-grade crossings would be required to build 

the Project.

Cumulative Effects

If the Cross-Base Highway were to be constructed, the Freedom Bridge 

improved, and/or the Camp Murray Gate to be relocated, the cumulative 

effect of the Project would include benefits to the transportation system

because the improvements included with the Project include traffic signal 

system improvements. When severe congestion from I-5 or JBLM 

operations extends into the local street system, a train event would have a 

minimal incremental effect on congestion, similar to the overall traffic 

effects from the Project.

Would the Project require minimization?

The Project team reviewed the effects of the Project and concluded: 

• The Project would not have adverse effects related to 

transportation system operations (both roadways and 

railroads) that would require additional minimization. 

Because the Project includes system improvements to 

minimize effects such as signal system improvements, the 

effects are minimal and minimization would not be required

beyond what is being proposed. The at-grade crossings to be 

improved within the limits of the Project would include an 

improved roadway cross-section (travel lanes and nonmotorized facilities) and upgrades to modern active warning 

standards. 
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 6 Transportation Discipline Report

• Where improvements to at-grade crossings are likely to result 

in temporary traffic delays and periodic lane and/or access 

revisions during construction, WSDOT and FRA will 

coordinate with local governments and communities to 

minimize construction effects. FRA and WSDOT will 

develop a traffic control plan for each project that includes, 

but is not limited to the following measures: at least one lane 

will be kept open at crossings except for short periods of 

limited duration when new track and new crossing surface 

panels are being installed at the grade crossings; flaggers 

and/or signs will be in place when lanes are closed; detour 

signs will be placed when routes are closed; a uniformed 

officer will be required at locations where traffic signals will 

be countermanded; and traffic control plans will be 

developed in conjunction with the respective agencies.

• The Project would not create any significant unavoidable 

adverse effects on traffic or transportation.

How does the transportation system work without the 

Project?

FRA and WSDOT studied existing traffic conditions in the year 2010 and 

accounted for the planned Sound Transit Sounder service in that study. 

Delays at intersections were rated on a Level of Service (LOS) scale from 

A to F, with “A” representing the least delay and “F” representing the 

most delay. The following summarizes existing 2010 conditions:

• In terms of traffic safety, over the last five years from June 

2006 through May 2011, there have been two at-grade 

crossing collisions between trains and vehicles. The 

collisions occurred at different crossings and did not reflect a 

frequently recurring safety problem at any one crossing.

• In 2010, two intersections operated worse than local LOS 

standards: North Thorne Lane Southwest/Union Avenue 

Southwest, and Berkeley Street Southwest/Union Avenue 

Southwest. These intersections operated at LOS F in the PM 

peak hour. In 2030 without the Project improvements (the No 

Build Alternative), these intersections would continue to 

operate at LOS F.

For the design year 2030, FRA and WSDOT

studied conditions with the planned Sound 

Transit Sounder service but without the 

Project; this study scenario was the No Build

Alternative.

The increase in traffic volumes 

and intersection delay is from 

actions not associated with the 

proposed Project, such as the 

projected growth in population 

and employment in the area.
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 7

By 2030, traffic volumes would increase, and intersection delay is 

projected to increase compared to 2010 existing conditions. The increase 

in traffic volumes and intersection delay is from actions not associated 

with the Project, such as the projected growth in population and 

employment in the area. In the 2030 No Build Alternative, the North

Thorne Lane Southwest/Union Avenue Southwest and Berkeley Street 

Southwest/Union Avenue Southwest intersections would continue to 

operate at LOS F, and the seven intersections summarized in Exhibit 2

would have substandard operations based on LOS standards for local 

jurisdictions.

Exhibit 2. Year 2030 No Build Alternative – Intersections Operating at LOS E or F

Level of Service

Intersection AM Peak Hour PM Peak Hour

East “D” Street and East 26th Street E

East “C” Street and East 26th Street F F

60th Street Southwest and South Tacoma Way E

North Thorne Lane Southwest and Union Avenue Southwest F

North Thorne Lane Southwest and I-5 SB Ramps E

North Thorne Lane Southwest and I-5 NB Ramps E F

Berkeley Street Southwest and Union Avenue Southwest F F

41st Division Drive and I-5 NB Ramps F

Barksdale Avenue/Locust Road and I-5 NB Ramps E E

With the Project, vehicular traffic volumes would remain the same but 

train traffic would increase. However, with the train traffic, there would

also be improvements to the railroad crossings and signal systems to 

accommodate the proposed changes.

The net effect of the Project would be that 43 intersections in the AM peak 

hour and 41 intersections in the PM peak hour would experience slight to 

no noticeable effect (a delay change of five seconds or less per vehicle). 

Three intersections in both peak hours (six percent of the study

intersections) would experience improved functioning (delay 

improvements of more than five seconds per vehicle). Only one 

intersection in the AM peak hour (two percent of the study intersections) 

and three intersections in the PM peak hour (six percent of the study

intersections) would be adversely affected (delay increases greater than 

five seconds per vehicle); only one of these intersections operates 

substandard (Thorne Lane Southwest and Union Avenue Southwest at 

LOS F in the PM peak hour), but the increased delay would be 

counterbalanced by the reduced delays at the two Thorne Lane Southwest

interchange ramp intersections.
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 9

Chapter 1 – Project Description

Introduction

Under the High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail (HSIPR) Program and 

pursuant to a programmatic Tier I Environmental Assessment (EA) the 

Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has approved an application from 

the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) to improve 

the Pacific Northwest Rail Corridor (PNWRC), a federally designated 

high-speed rail corridor. One project included in the PNWRC application 

is the Point Defiance Bypass Project (the Project), which would respond to 

deficiencies in the existing rail operations around Point Defiance. This 

Discipline Report has been prepared in support of the project-specific EA 

for the Point Defiance Bypass project.

The Project is located in Pierce County along an existing approximately 

20-mile rail corridor between Tacoma and Nisqually.

8 The Project would 

provide for the re-routing of Amtrak passenger trains from the BNSF rail 

line that runs along the southern Puget Sound shoreline (Puget Sound 

route) to the Point Defiance Bypass route, an existing rail corridor that 

runs along the west side of I-5. The Project would consist of railroad track 

and support facility improvements, and relocation of the Tacoma Amtrak 

Station to Freighthouse Square in Tacoma.

Purpose and Need

As described above, the Point Defiance Bypass route is part of the larger 

PNWRC. Within Washington State, the vision for the PNWRC is to 

“...improve intercity passenger rail service by reducing travel times and 

achieving greater schedule reliability in order to accommodate growing 

intercity travel demand...”9.

The purpose of the Project is to provide more frequent and reliable highspeed intercity passenger rail service along the PNWRC between Tacoma 

and Nisqually. In conformity with the decisions under the Tier 1 

Programmatic EA, the PNWRC Improvement Program has reduced the 

overall environmental effects of providing improved passenger rail service 

with the use of an existing transportation corridor and associated 

infrastructure, rather than creating a new corridor. 

 8 The three owners of the project corridor are Sound Transit, Tacoma Rail, and BNSF. 9 WSDOT 2009
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 10 Transportation Discipline Report

The Project is needed to address the deficiencies in the existing rail 

alignment around Point Defiance. The existing alignment (Puget Sound 

route), shared by freight and passenger rail traffic, is near capacity and is 

therefore unable to accommodate additional high-speed intercity 

passenger rail service without substantial improvements. In addition, the 

existing alignment has physical and operational constraints that adversely 

affect both passenger train scheduling and reliability.

Improving intercity passenger rail service in the project area and meeting 

the Project needs would be accomplished by:

• Enhanced Frequency: Increasing Amtrak Cascades round-trips from four 

to six by 2017 to meet projected service demands.

• Improved Reliability: Reducing scheduling conflicts with freight trains 

that often result in delays, and by minimizing or avoiding operational 

delays (e.g., drawbridge openings) and weather-related delays (e.g., 

mudslides), and improving on-time performance from 68 percent to 88 

percent.

• Enhanced Efficiency: Enhancing the efficient movement of people by 

decreasing trip times by 10 minutes, and reducing the amount of time 

passenger trains spend yielding to freight movements.

• Improved Safety: Constructing at-grade crossings with upgraded safety 

features, including wayside horns, median barriers, advance warning 

signals, and traffic signal improvements.

What alternatives are being considered for the Point 

Defiance Bypass Project?

FRA and WSDOT conducted an evaluation of three build alternatives: the 

Point Defiance Bypass Alternative, the Shoreline Alternative, and the 

Greenfield Alternative. Two of the alternatives (the Shoreline Alternative, 

and the Greenfield Alternative) were eliminated from further study. 

Although both alternatives could meet the Project’s purpose and need, 

they were determined to be impracticable and unfeasible due to technical 

constraints, high construction costs, and significant environmental effects. 

Grade separations were also evaluated for further consideration. FRA and 

WSDOT’s preliminary analysis revealed that current and projected future 

traffic volumes do not warrant the construction of new grade-separated 

crossings. 

What’s happening in the bypass corridor today?

The rail line between TR Junction and East “D” Street in Tacoma hosts 

both freight and commuter trains, including freight operators Tacoma Rail 

and BNSF, and Sound Transit’s Sounder commuter rail service. Freight 
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 11

train traffic between TR Junction and East “D” Street averages under two 

trains per day, while Sound Transit currently operates 18 trains per day

between Freighthouse Square and Seattle each weekday, and also offers 

occasional special event trains, usually on weekends, to serve sporting and 

other events in Seattle. Sounder service to Lakewood begins in late 2012.

What would happen if the Project were not built?

If the Project were not built (the No Build Alternative), Amtrak’s 

Cascades and Coast Starlight passenger train service would continue to 

use the existing Puget Sound route. The No Build Alternative includes 

only the minor maintenance and repair activities necessary to keep the 

existing Puget Sound route operational. With the No Build Alternative, it 

would be expected that as freight traffic increases, congestion would 

adversely affect Amtrak service reliability, and the travel time for Amtrak 

trains between Seattle and Portland would increase.

Along the Point Defiance Bypass route, the Tacoma Rail and BNSF 

freight services would continue. The at-grade crossings at Clover Creek 

Drive Southwest, North Thorne Lane Southwest, Berkeley Street 

Southwest, 41st Division Drive, and Barksdale Avenue Southwest would 

not be upgraded.

Sound Transit’s Sounder commuter passenger trains will become 

operational in late 2012 between the Tacoma Dome Station at 

Freighthouse Square in Tacoma and Sound Transit’s Lakewood Station 

(on the Point Defiance Bypass route) with as many as 18 Sounder trains 

per day.

What are the proposed improvements and related activities

of the Point Defiance Bypass Project?

The Project consists of railroad track and support facility improvements, 

and the relocation of Amtrak’s Tacoma Station. Exhibit 3 shows the 

components of the Build Alternative. The following details specific 

components of the Build Alternative.

• Construct New Track Adjacent to the Existing Main Line – A new 

3.5-mile track adjacent to the existing main line would be constructed 

from South 66th Street (Rail MP 6.9) in Tacoma to between Bridgeport 

Way SW (Rail MP 10.4) and Clover Creek Drive SW (Rail MP 10.9) in 

Lakewood.

• Reconstruct and Rehabilitate the Existing Main Line – Starting just 

southwest of Bridgeport Way Southwest (Rail MP 10.4) in Lakewood, the 

existing track would be reconstructed to a location southeast of the I-
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 12 Transportation Discipline Report

5/Mounts Road Southwest interchange (Rail MP 19.8) at Nisqually 

Junction.

• Improvements at at-Grade Crossings – Several grade crossings would 

be improved with wayside horns, gates, traffic signals and signage, 

sidewalks, median separators, and warning devices. These crossings 

include Clover Creek Drive Southwest, North Thorne Lane Southwest, 

Berkeley Street Southwest, 41st Division Drive and Barksdale Avenue.

• Tacoma Amtrak Station Relocation – The existing Tacoma Amtrak 

Station would be relocated from its Puyallup Avenue location to the 

Tacoma Dome Station at Freighthouse Square, at 430 E. 25th Street in 

Tacoma.

What are the proposed operational changes that would 

result from the Point Defiance Bypass Project?

Amtrak’s existing Cascades and Coast Starlight passenger train service 

would be rerouted from the Puget Sound route along the Puget Sound 

shoreline to the Point Defiance Bypass route. The Project would also 

provide for additional Amtrak Cascades service by increasing the number 

of round trips provided from 4 to 6, or a total of 12 Cascades service train 

trips. Amtrak Coast Starlight would also travel on the Point Defiance 

Bypass route for a total of two Coast Starlight service train trips. The 

speed of these passenger trains would be up to 79 mph.
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 13

Exhibit 3. Build Alternative Components
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 15

Chapter 2 – Methodology

How were the Project’s effects on transportation

evaluated?

Roadways evaluated in this study include every at-grade rail crossing 

within the 21-mile project corridor. Existing traffic volumes and turning 

movement data were collected at each at-grade crossing intersection and 

adjacent intersections affected by the additional train crossings; traffic 

operations models were used to predict future levels of service and vehicle 

queue lengths. Grade-separated crossings were not analyzed since crossing 

traffic is not directly affected when a train passes over or under a crossing.

Traffic analysts used specialized transportation models to evaluate traffic 

operations within the study area (Exhibit 4). The analysts first collected 

existing travel conditions (traffic volumes and how roadways currently 

operate now), with the year 2010 chosen to represent current conditions 

for the Project. Analysts then evaluated how the road system would work 

today, how the roads would operate in 2030 without the Project (under the 

No Build Alternative), and how roads would operate in 2030 with a 

completed project. Analysts paid special attention to the ability for freight 

to move through the region, both on roads and along the rail lines, and 

modeled how the Project would affect roadway operations at the railway 

crossings and nearby intersections. The design year used for modeling was 

determined to be 2030.10

 10 Although 2040 is now the planning horizon for the Puget Sound Regional Council, the Council’s 

appropriate year to use for future impacts was 2030 when the proposed Project’s environmental 

evaluation commenced. 
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 16 Transportation Discipline Report

Exhibit 4. Study Area 

In determining roadway conditions and the Project’s likely effects, the 

analysts modeled current and future traffic volumes on roadways. In order 

to provide coverage of the entire study area, two computer travel demand 

models (Lakewood/I-5 VISUM model and Pierce County EMME model)

were used to determine roadway volumes. Analysts used these traffic 
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 17

volumes to calculate intersection delay for major 

intersections (listed in Exhibit 6), which is the 

average time (in seconds) vehicles wait before 

moving through an intersection. This time delay 

is expressed as a Level of Service (LOS), and was evaluated using the 

methods established by the Highway Capacity Manual, Special Report 

209 (Transportation Research Board, 2000). The standard method used to 

rate intersection delay is to assign an LOS ranging from ‘A’ to ‘F,’ with 

the letter A describing the least amount of congestion and best operations,

and the letter F indicating the highest amount of congestion and worst 

operations. Exhibit 5 provides the LOS ratings that can be applied to 

signalized and unsignalized intersections and what the ratings mean.

Exhibit 5. Level of Service Criteria for Signalized and Unsignalized Intersections

LOS Rating

Signalized Average 

Delay per Vehicle 

(in seconds)

Unsignalized Average 

Delay per Vehicle

(in seconds)

Description of Intersection 

Conditions

A 0-10 0-10 Little or no delay/little congestion

B > 10-20 > 10-15 Short delays

C > 20-35 > 15-25 Moderate delays

D > 35-55 > 25-35 Long delays

E > 55-80 > 35-50 Very long delays

F > 80 > 50 Extreme congestion

Source: Highway Capacity Manual (TRB 2000)

Details of the signal phasing and timing plans would be further refined 

after the NEPA process during final design and construction; for this 

reason, those details have not been included in this report because the 

Project cannot commit to them at this stage. FRA and WSDOT will 

coordinate this effort with local agencies such as the City of Lakewood 

and use current traffic counts to refine the signal timing plans.

Analysts also determined vehicle queue 

lengths, which is the length (in feet) of 

vehicles waiting to move through an 

intersection. The Project team summarized 

both average and maximum queue lengths. Average queue lengths are 

useful for considering relative effects spread over the hour of analysis. 

However, average queue lengths do not directly reflect the effects of peak 

in congestion within the hour. Maximum queue lengths are useful for 

comparing peak traffic congestion in the hour of analysis. For street 

systems operating without congestion, a train crossing event would likely 

create maximum queues within the peak hour. For street systems already 

operating under moderate to severe congestion, a train crossing event may 

exacerbate the maximum queues; however, it is also possible that 

maximum queues would not increase if traffic congestion is caused by 

other factors. The comparison of maximum queues is useful in all cases to 

Intersection delay is the 

average time (in seconds) 

vehicles wait before moving 

through an intersection.

A queue length is the distance 

that vehicles extend back from 

an intersection while waiting to 

move through.
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 18 Transportation Discipline Report

compare relative changes between the No Build and Build Alternatives.

This information helped to express how traffic moves now on the 

roadways and how it would move in the future. Finally, a modeling effort 

was conducted to evaluate specific effects on vehicle traffic at the railroad 

crossings.

Analysts evaluated the Project’s likely effects on pedestrian and bicycle 

traffic by comparing the non-motorized connections proposed with the 

Build Alternative to existing facilities.

The sections below provide more detail on how the traffic modeling was 

conducted.

What information on existing conditions did FRA and 

WSDOT obtain through field work for this report?

FRA and WSDOT obtained street traffic volumes from manual traffic 

counts conducted by a consultant for individual days during 2010. The

consultant observed how well the study area’s intersections were operating 

by examining the queue lengths. Analysts confirmed the number of travel 

lanes, length of turning lanes, intersection signal timing, and the type of 

control at each study area intersection.

For the study areas from North Thorne Lane Southwest to the south, 

traffic volumes had been collected in 2006 and 2009 from previous

studies. The consultant compared these volumes against the 2010 volumes 

to check for anomalies in the 2010 counts. After checking the data, the 

most recent 2010 traffic counts were determined most appropriate to use 

in the analysis. The use of most recent data is also consistent with standard 

practice.

How was travel demand determined?

Using computer models, analysts determined traffic volumes and the 

likely allocation of traffic onto the area’s roadways in both the morning 

(AM) and evening (PM) peak traffic periods. This modeling was the 

starting point for identifying future traffic operations in the study area. 

Two calibrated models were used for this effort to provide coverage of the 

study area: 1) the Lakewood/I-5 VISUM travel demand model, which was 

developed and used in forecasting the traffic volumes completed for 

Phase 1 of the Project; and 2) the Pierce County EMME travel demand 

model. Analysts adjusted the two models to accurately portray future 

conditions. Both models predict traffic volumes and travel patterns based 

on adopted land use patterns and travel surveys of existing drivers.
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 19

Following standard modeling practice, the calibrated Lakewood/I-5 

VISUM model was used to forecast year 2030 travel demand within the 

cities of Lakewood and DuPont, JBLM, and the unincorporated areas of 

southwestern Pierce County. In this model, the existing year is 2009;

therefore, the growth to 2030 reflects 21 years of traffic growth. The 

existing counts collected for FRA and WSDOT, however, were from year 

2010; therefore, the model growth was adjusted to account for 20 years of 

growth, instead of 21 years. The adjusted growth was applied to the 2010 

existing conditions scenario to attain year 2030 travel demand forecasts.

For intersections not included in the Lakewood/I-5 VISUM model 

described above, analysts used the Pierce County EMME travel demand 

model. This model was calibrated to its base year of 2007 and included a 

2030 forecast year. Similar to the process described for the Lakewood/I-5 

travel demand modeling work, the traffic growth rate was adjusted to 

account for the difference in the model base year of 2007 and the year the 

traffic counts were collected (2010). Therefore, the resulting traffic 

volume growth reflects 20 years of traffic growth and was applied to the 

year 2010 existing conditions scenario to attain year 2030 travel demand 

forecasts.

Analysts refined the demand modeling results to correct details that the 

model did not provide by methods such as balancing volumes between 

adjoining intersections, manually assigning traffic volume growth to each 

study intersection near the Tacoma Dome to account for the limited 

amount of model network detail, and applying general growth rates to 

study area intersections that were not included in the model.

These travel demand models included funded regional improvement 

projects and projects that are likely to be built. Attachment A lists the 

roadway projects included in the travel forecast model, which FRA and 

WSDOT assumed would all be completed by 2030.

What time periods were evaluated?

The periods chosen for travel demand analysis were the peak traffic 

periods on weekdays during the fall, winter, and spring months at the

heaviest commute times of the day. The morning and evening commute 

periods along the I-5, SR 512, SR 16, and other study area corridors last 

for several hours. To capture these peak commute periods, the Project 

team evaluated the following periods:

• General Study Area: Two-hour periods in the morning (7:00 AM to 9:00 AM) 

and afternoon (4:00 PM to 6:00 PM) — Along Bridgeport Way Southwest, at 

Pacific Highway, and the I-5 ramp terminals, the AM peak period was extended 

by one hour (6:00 AM to 9:00 AM) because local traffic conditions were 

anticipated to peak earlier.
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 20 Transportation Discipline Report

• JBLM: A 4-hour period in the morning (5:00 AM to 9:00 AM), a 2-hour 

period during midday (11:00 AM to 1:00 PM), and a 2-hour period in the 

afternoon (4:00 PM to 6:00 PM) — JBLM operations begin earlier than 

general commute traffic and have different travel patterns throughout the 

average day. The AM peak period was shortened (7:00 AM to 9:00 AM) 

to study the effects of train crossings here because Amtrak Cascades is not 

expected to operate between 5:00 AM and 7:00 AM at this location. The 

period from 5:00 AM to 7:00 AM was, however, used to study the effects 

of the signal system enhancements around JBLM without train activity.

Once travel demand was established, how were local street 

operations evaluated?

Traffic analysts used Synchro macroscopic analysis software and VISSIM 

micro simulation software to model and determine the intersection delay. 

The standard method used to rate intersection delay is to assign an LOS 

ranging from ‘A’ to ‘F,’ with the letter A describing the least amount of 

congestion and best operations, and the letter F indicating the highest 

amount of congestion and worst operations (refer back to Exhibit 5.) With 

some exceptions in the study area, WSDOT and the cities of Tacoma, 

Lakewood, and DuPont have designated LOS D or better as an acceptable 

standard for intersection function. The LOS is based on peak hours. The 

model also identified queue lengths at each intersection, which indicated 

whether operations from one intersection would extend back into the next 

intersection, affecting its operations. Queue lengths are typically reported 

as the average, maximum, or 95th percentile queue length; this report 

summarizes the average and maximum queue lengths.

For the local street intersection analysis, the hour of highest traffic volume 

during the morning and afternoon was used to evaluate operations. The 

peak hour represents the worst case conditions for the local street 

operations and presents a conservatively high evaluation of effects. The 

peak hours used for the operational analysis varied for each at-grade rail

crossing study area because the hour with the highest traffic volumes 

varies by location. For each crossing study area, traffic volumes were 

balanced between intersections to develop system peak hour volumes.

The results of the travel demand modeling efforts were used as an input to 

the VISSIM and Synchro traffic operations modeling software. The 

VISSIM models were used to measure the effects of railroad operations on 

surrounding roadways and intersections in the study area. This software 

models the movement of individual vehicles and describes how vehicles 

accelerate and decelerate, and how traffic queues build and disperse over 

time. Traffic analysts also used Synchro software to evaluate the effects of 

railroad operations on intersection operations at specific locations in the 
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 21

study area where traffic volumes were deemed low and the traffic 

operations relatively simple.

In calculating intersection delays, Synchro and VISSIM are similar in that 

both are based on traffic flow theory. They differ in that Synchro evaluates

delays for groups of vehicles at a time whereas VISSIM simulates 

individual vehicle movements (at a micro-scale) within a network and the 

delays for each vehicle factors into the total. Synchro closely emulates 

HCM procedures; however, VISSIM can account for unique field 

conditions that the HCM procedures do not address well. For this reason, 

both tools are often used on transportation projects and applied where they 

best fit. Delays reported from traffic analysis software provide reasonable 

approximations for making relative comparisons among project 

alternatives under NEPA.

Exhibit 6 shows the intersections that were evaluated and the modeling 

tools used to analyze each of them.

Exhibit 6. Study Intersections and Analysis Tools

Study Intersection

Traffic

Signal

Analysis Tool

Synchro VISSIM

East “D” Street and East 26th Street X X

East “D” Street and East 25th Street X X

East “C” Street and East 26th Street X

East “C” Street and East 25th Street X X

South “C” Street and South Tacoma Way X

South “C” Street and South 25th Street X

South Chandler Street and South Tacoma Way X

South Chandler Street and Center Street X

South Alaska Street and South Tacoma Way X

South Alaska Street and Center Street X

South Wilkeson Street and South Tacoma Way X X

South Wilkeson Street and Center Street X X

South Pine Street and South Tacoma Way X X

South Pine Street and Center Street X X

35th Street Southwest and South Tacoma Way X X

35th Street Southwest and South Lawrence Street X

50th Street Southwest and South Adams Street X

50th Street Southwest and South Burlington Way X

South 56th Street and South Washington Street X X

South 56th Street and South Adams Street/ South

Burlington Way

X

South 56th Street and South Tacoma Way X X

South 56th Street and South Puget Sound Avenue X X
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 22 Transportation Discipline Report

Study Intersection

Traffic

Signal

Analysis Tool

Synchro VISSIM

60th Street Southwest and South Washington Street X

60th Street Southwest and South Adams Street X

60th Street Southwest and South Tacoma Way X

South 74th Street and South Tacoma Way X X

Steilacoom Blvd Southwest and Lakeview Avenue 

Southwest

X X

Steilacoom Blvd Southwest and Durango Street 

Southwest

X

100th Street Southwest and Lakeview Avenue Southwest X X

108th Street Southwest and Lakeview Avenue Southwest X X

108th Street Southwest and Halcyon Road Southwest X

Bridgeport Way Southwest and Pacific Highway 

Southwest

X X

Bridgeport Way Southwest and I-5 Southbound (SB) 

Ramps

X X

Bridgeport Way Southwest and I-5 Northbound (NB) 

Ramps

X X

Clover Creek Drive Southwest and Hillcrest Drive

Southwest

X

Clover Creek Drive Southwest and Pacific Highway 

Southwest

X

North Thorne Lane Southwest and Union Avenue 

Southwest

In 2030 Build X

North Thorne Lane Southwest and I-5 SB Ramps X X

North Thorne Lane Southwest and I-5 NB Ramps X X

Berkeley Street Southwest and Union Avenue Southwest In 2030 Build X

Berkeley Street Southwest and I-5 SB Ramps X X

Berkeley Street Southwest and I-5 NB Ramps X X

41st Division Drive and I-5 SB Ramps X

41st Division Drive and I-5 NB Ramps X

Barksdale Avenue and DuPont-Steilacoom Road X X

Barksdale Avenue and I-5 SB Ramps X X

Barksdale Avenue/Locust Road and I-5 NB Ramps X X

How was the safety of highway and rail crossings studied?

Analysts reviewed the findings of a railroad crossing review completed by 

a multi-agency diagnostic team in September 2006. The findings were 

reviewed to identify improvements incorporated by Sound Transit and 

those proposed to be included with the Build Alternative.

In November 2011, analysts consulted data published by the FRA Office 

of Safety Analysis on their Web page (mid-August 2011) 
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 23

(http://safetydata.fra.dot.gov/OfficeofSafety/) to confirm the number of 

traffic accidents that have occurred in the vicinity of the existing at-grade 

railroad crossings in the study area. At the time, data were available 

through September 2011 and analysts reviewed the last five years of 

historical data from October 2006 through September 2011. The FRA 

database describes the severity and type of accidents and the analysts used 

that information to describe the safety issues associated with the current 

rail crossings, as well as the likely safety issues expected with the Project.

In addition to reviewing historical data, analysts used the FRA accident 

prediction model to consider the effects of the Project on safety. Inputs 

into the model were taken mostly from the FRA crossing inventory 

database; however, for the Bypass Route, traffic volumes gathered for the 

Project were used to estimate annual average daily traffic (AADT) on the 

roadways. It was estimated that 10 daily vehicle trips occur on the 

crossing roadways for every PM peak hour trip. For the Bypass Route, the 

2030 AADT was determined from growth experienced between 2010 and 

2030 PM peak hour volumes. For the Puget Sound Route, the 2030 AADT 

was obtained using minimal growth at the crossings because much of the 

land on the water side of the tracks is already occupied by development. 

On the Bypass Route, freight rail traffic was estimated to remain at 

existing train volumes based on inputs from Tacoma Rail, Sound Transit 

Sounder volumes were input consistent with the train volumes 

documented in Chapter 1. On the Puget Sound Route, train volumes were 

estimated to reach their peak capacity based on train volumes found in 

Statewide Rail System Capacity and Needs study by the Washington State 

Transportation Commission.

The Railroad-Highway Grade Crossing Handbook identifies two accident 

frequency thresholds for considering crossing improvements regardless of 

whether or not the improvements are economically justifiable:

• When the expected accident frequency predicted by the USDOT 

Accident Prediction Formula exceeds 0.1 accidents per year (one 

accident every 10 years) for crossings with active devices without 

gates, consider active devices with gates.

• When the expected accident frequency predicted by the USDOT 

Accident Prediction Formula exceeds 0.5 accidents per year (one

accident every two years) for crossings with active devices with 

gates, consider grade separation.

Analysts used these thresholds to conclude whether additional safety 

improvements are needed to mitigate existing and future safety conditions. 

The predicted accident experience has been expressed as the number of 

years between accidents rather than accidents per year, to provide a more 

understandable accident measure.
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 24 Transportation Discipline Report

Besides expressing accident experience as a frequency in terms of 

accidents per year, traffic engineers often express accident experience 

based on the exposure frequency to conditions that might create the 

potential for an accident. For the Project, the analysts have predicted 

accident rates for future year 2030 conditions with the No Build and Build 

Alternatives to provide a relative comparison of overall safety in the rail 

system based on exposure. The rates were expressed in terms of accidents 

per million train crossings because, without a train crossing, there is no 

chance for vehicle and non-motorized traffic to collide with a train.
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 25

Chapter 3 – Studies and Coordination

How does this report relate to previous environmental 

studies completed for the Project?

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) issued a NEPA 

Documented Categorical Exclusion for the Point Defiance Bypass Project 

in August 2008. The recent American Recovery and Reinvestment Act 

(ARRA) High Speed Rail award that Washington State received in 

January 2010 will provide funding to complete construction near the end 

of 2017. FRA is requiring that an EA is completed under their regulations 

before the ARRA funding can be made available for construction.

This report builds upon environmental work previously completed by 

FRA and WSDOT for the Project including:

• Point Defiance Bypass Project Traffic and Transportation 

Discipline Report published August 2007, revised March 

2008

• Existing (November 2010) Traffic Volumes Summary –

Revision 1 Technical Memorandum, May 4, 2011

• Base Year No-Build Conditions Technical Memorandum –

Revision 3, May 4, 2011

• Base Year Build Conditions Technical Memorandum, May 4, 

2011

• Future Year Conditions Technical Memorandum, May 4, 

2011

• Existing (September 2010) Traffic Volumes Summary 

Technical Memorandum, October 8, 2010

• 2010 Early AM Peak Hour Analysis at the Berkeley Street 

Interchange Area Findings Paper, March 3, 2011

• 2010 Noon Peak Model Calibration and Evaluation of 

Proposed Traffic Signal Phasing under 2010 Noon Peak 

Hour Traffic Volumes Technical Memorandum

• Existing Conditions Technical Memorandum, November 19, 

2010

• Proposed Signal Phasing/Timing and Traffic Operations 

Technical Memorandum, March 31, 2011
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 26 Transportation Discipline Report

• Proposed Signal Phasing/Timing and Traffic Operations 

Technical Memorandum (with Cross-Base Highway), April 

26, 2011

• Point Defiance Bypass – Phase 1 Traffic Analysis 

Methodology and Operational Summary Technical 

Memorandum, July 2011

How did the Project team coordinate with the public, local 

cities, Pierce County, and agencies?

Public Involvement

The Project team has conducted a number of public outreach efforts, 

including open houses, an information booth at a community event, and 

presentations such as:

• Open House, Clover Park Technical College, August 31, 

2011

• Tillicum/Woodbrook Neighborhood Association (Lakewood) 

– January 6, 2011

• Open House, Tillicum Community Center (Lakewood) –

November 15, 2010

• Tacoma Farmers Market (downtown Tacoma) – September 

16, 2010

• Open House (Lakewood) – May 17, 2010

WSDOT has also posted information on the Project Website at: 

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/Rail/PNWRC_PtDefiance/default.htm.

The purpose of these outreach efforts was to provide timely information to 

people interested in and/or affected by the Project and to provide different 

types of opportunities for the public to provide input. FRA and WSDOT 

plan to continue with outreach efforts until the Project is constructed. To 

date, the Project team has conducted more than 40 briefings and outreach 

events, and comments from the affected communities cover these main 

areas:11

• Safety: concerns about faster, more frequent trains on a track 

that currently sees only intermittent freight traffic. 

• Traffic: concerns about increased congestion due to 

additional trains passing through busy intersections

• Noise: Increased noise from trains passing through and also 

from train horns. 

 11 http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/Rail/PNWRC_PtDefiance/PublicOutreach.htm visited on 

September 22, 2011.
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 27

• Declining property values: concerns that property values are 

at risk due to noise, vibration, and traffic effects.

• WSDOT is just “checking the boxes” on their process and 

has little interest in neighborhood concerns.

• Community connectivity: Increased train service may further 

isolate Tillicum neighborhood.

Advisory Teams

To ensure meaningful engagement and to maintain steady progress on the 

Project, the Project team invited key stakeholders and municipalities 

within the study area to be part of two advisory teams during the 

environmental process—a Technical Advisory Group (TAG) and 

an Executive Advisory Team. FRA’s and WSDOT’s advisory team 

partners include:

• City of DuPont

• City of Lakewood

• City of Tacoma

• Pierce County

• Sound Transit

• Clover Park School District

• JBLM

• Camp Murray

• FHWA

FRA and WSDOT convened meetings of the TAG to review the technical 

transportation information and modeling results and findings provided by 

the Project team. The TAG provided feedback and review, and ultimately 

forwarded the Project information to an Executive Advisory Team for 

review. The Executive Advisory Team has met regularly and provided 

further transportation-related technical review of the data.

FRA and WSDOT also continue to regularly update and receive input 

from the Governor’s Office, Washington State Legislators, and 

Washington State’s US Senators.
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 29

Chapter 4 – Affected Environment

This chapter summarizes existing transportation characteristics within the 

study area. Included are descriptions of the existing rail and road system 

and how they currently operate, as well as a discussion of how the rail 

operations and on-road traffic interact.

What is rail service like in the study area?

Both freight and passenger train traffic has increased over time on the 

existing main line in the Tacoma vicinity. The existing rail alignment 

around Point Defiance is near capacity and has physical and operational 

constraints that adversely affect both passenger and freight train 

scheduling and reliability. A number of ties are worn or otherwise 

defective, ballast is low in places, the wearing surface of the rails needs 

work, and some of the existing drains underneath the track are blocked.

As discussed in Chapter 1, both Sound Transit and Amtrak operate

passenger trains through the study area.

Sound Transit

Sound Transit currently provides Sounder commuter rail service between 

Tacoma and Seattle, as well as Tacoma Link light rail in downtown 

Tacoma. Both of these services connect to the Tacoma Dome Station at 

Freighthouse Square in Tacoma.

Sound Transit currently operates 18 Sounder trains per weekday in the 

area, and also offers occasional special event trains, usually on weekends, 

to serve sporting and other events in Seattle. Weekday headways for 

Sounder service vary in the morning and afternoon commutes; midday 

service is not provided. Beginning in 2012, 12 of the 18 weekday trains 

would also travel between the Tacoma Dome Station and Lakewood 

Station with ultimately all 18 weekday trains continuing to the Lakewood 

Station.

Tacoma Link light rail service operates between the Tacoma Dome Station 

at Freighthouse Square and the Theater District Station in downtown 

Tacoma. On weekdays, trains run every 12 minutes for the majority of the 

day and operate every 24 minutes in the early morning and late evening. 
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 30 Transportation Discipline Report

On the weekend, trains run every 12 minutes on Saturdays and every 24 

minutes on Sundays during the hours of operation.

Amtrak

Amtrak Cascades provides passenger rail service from 

Eugene/Springfield, Oregon, to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. 

The Tacoma Amtrak Station is located at the north end of the study area 

near Freighthouse Square. Currently, Amtrak Cascades and Coast Starlight

trains run on the BNSF line along Puget Sound. The following trains 

operate in the morning:

• Southbound trains arrive at the Tacoma Amtrak Station and 

travel south through the study area at 8:13 AM (Cascades)

and 10:31 AM (Coast Starlight). 

• A northbound train arrives at the Tacoma Amtrak Station 

from Olympia-Lacey at 11:04 AM (Cascades).

In the evening, the following trains operate:

• Southbound trains arrive at the Tacoma Amtrak Station and 

travel south through the study area at 3:03 PM and 6:13 PM 

(Cascades).

• Northbound trains arrive at the Tacoma Amtrak Station from 

Olympia/Lacey at 2:49 PM, 5:24 PM (Cascades), and 7:11 

PM (Coast Starlight).

The above arrival times are approximate. The current northbound schedule 

allows 42 minutes (Cascades) and 49 minutes (Coast Starlight) between 

Olympia/Lacey and Tacoma, and the southbound schedule allows 37 

minutes (Cascades) and 50 minutes (Coast Starlight). When Amtrak 

relocates the Tacoma Amtrak Station, the actual schedule between the new 

station location and Olympia/Lacey is projected12 to be reduced to as little 

as 29 minutes for Cascades while keeping the Coast Starlight operating 

under the current schedule.

Freight Rail

Tacoma Rail and BNSF are the operators of freight trains in the study 

area. Currently, there are two or fewer freight trains per day13 operating in 

the south end of the study area on the Bypass Route, between Nisqually 

and South Tacoma. BNSF freight operations extend only between 

Nisqually and 100th Street Southwest in Lakewood, further serving JBLM 

 12 The actual schedule will be set once construction nears completion. 13 Tacoma Rail related to the Project team that an average of two or less freight trains per day use 

this segment of rail.
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 31

and the town of Roy via a branch line that extends south to those facilities 

from 108th Street Southwest in Lakewood. Freight train traffic between TR 

Junction and East “D” Street also currently averages less than two trains 

per day.14 Tacoma Rail is the only freight operator serving customers on 

their rail line in Frederickson and other points south of Tacoma. Tacoma 

Rail switches railcars while it builds trains in the Barksdale Avenue 

crossing area. During this switching operation, Barksdale Avenue can be 

closed to street traffic for many minutes, which affects the movement of 

vehicular and non-motorized traffic in the City of DuPont.

Rail Stations

The Tacoma Amtrak Station is currently located downtown at 

1001 Puyallup Avenue—one block north and approximately three blocks 

east of Freighthouse Square. A waiting area is provided at the station as 

well as free short-term and long-term overnight on-site parking. A 2007 

marketing survey15 showed riders accessing the Amtrak Cascades Seattle 

to Portland service used the following means of transportation to/from the 

rail stations:

• 59% used a car

• 14% used a taxi or limousine

• 13% used local transit

• 8% walked

• 2% used a connecting Amtrak bus

• 1% used a connecting Amtrak train

Although no data are provided for riders in Tacoma, these percentages

may indicate that riders often are open to multiple transportation options 

to access rail service. Operating an Amtrak station near or at multimodal 

transit centers could reduce the travel demand by personal vehicle. The 

predominant travel pattern for vehicles to and from the existing Tacoma 

Amtrak Station is between I-5/I-705 slip ramp to East 26th Street and the 

existing parking lot. A secondary travel pattern also exists between the 

Tacoma Amtrak Station and I-5 for travelers to and from the north via the 

East Bay Street/SR 167 interchange.

Freighthouse Square is a multimodal transit center in downtown Tacoma

at which the Tacoma Dome (rail) Station is located; the Tacoma Link and 

Sounder commuter rail stop directly at the station. The bus transit center is 

located one block north of the Freighthouse Square Station and is served 

by Intercity Transit, Pierce Transit, and Sound Transit Express. The 

 14 Tacoma Rail related to the Project team that an average of two or less freight trains per day use 

this segment of rail.

15 2007 Marketing Demographic Study, prepared for Amtrak.
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 32 Transportation Discipline Report

Greyhound bus station is located across East “F” Street from the bus 

transit center. Amtrak passenger rail is located nearby.

The Sounder South Tacoma Station, which was built in 2009, is located 

within the study area at 60th Street Southwest and South Adams Street. 

When Sounder is fully operational to the South Tacoma Station, 18 trains 

would arrive and depart from the station each day.

16 During peak 

commuting times, trains would depart every 30 minutes on the way to 

Seattle.

Sound Transit’s Lakewood Station, which was completed in 2008, is 

located within the study area at 11424 Pacific Highway Southwest, and 

includes a side platform and shelters for passengers. A parking garage at

the station provides more than 600 commuter parking spaces.

What are the roadway characteristics?

The study area was determined by including all streets and intersections 

that could possibly be affected by the Project, based on anticipated queues. 

Exhibit 7 lists all of the streets in the study area crossed by the Project rail 

alignment and physically altered by it (see Chapter 2, Exhibit 4 Study 

Area Map), and presents some of the basic characteristics of these 

roadways.

Exhibit 7. Existing Roadway Characteristics for Study Area Roadways

Crossing Street Local Agency

Posted

Speed Limit

(mph)

Travel Lanes at 

Crossing Bike Lanes Sidewalks

East “D” Street17 City of Tacoma 25 3 Both Sides Both Sides

East “C” Street City of Tacoma 25 2 Both Sides Both Sides

South “C” Street City of Tacoma 30 2 East Side 14-foot Wide

Combination

Bike Lane/Sidewalk

South Chandler 

Street

City of Tacoma 25 2 No No

South Alaska Street City of Tacoma 25 2 No No

South Wilkeson 

Street

City of Tacoma 30 2 No Both Sides

South Pine Street City of Tacoma 35 4 with striped median No Both Sides

South 35th Street City of Tacoma 30 2 No One Side

South 50th Street City of Tacoma 25 2 No One Side

South 56th Street City of Tacoma 25 4 No Both Sides

60th Street City of Tacoma 25 2 No One Side

 16 E-mail communication from Eric Beckman of Sound Transit to Kevin Jeffers of WSDOT on 

September 15, 2011.

17 Separate construction by Sound Transit will result in the conditions described at E. “D” Street, 

E. “C” Street, and S. “C” Street
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 33

Crossing Street Local Agency

Posted

Speed Limit

(mph)

Travel Lanes at 

Crossing Bike Lanes Sidewalks

Southwest

South 74th Street City of Tacoma 35 4 with center

raised median

No Both Sides

Steilacoom Blvd 

Southwest

City of Lakewood 35 5 No Both Sides

100th Street 

Southwest

City of Lakewood 35 5 No No

108th Street 

Southwest

City of Lakewood 25 2 with center

raised median

Both Sides Both Sides

Bridgeport Way 

Southwest

City of Lakewood 35 4 with striped median No Both Sides

Clover Creek Drive

Southwest

City of Lakewood 35 2 No No

North Thorne Lane 

Southwest

City of Lakewood 35 3 No No

Berkeley Street

Southwest

City of Lakewood 35 3 No No

41st Division Drive JBLM 35 6 with median No No

Barksdale Avenue City of DuPont 35 5 with median No No

Source: City of Tacoma govME, previous studies and Google Maps.

How do the roadways operate now?

What are the intersection LOSs during the peak hours? 

The LOS for all of the study area’s signalized and unsignalized 

intersections is provided in Exhibit 8 through Exhibit 17. These LOS 

measures are for the peak hours with Sound Transit Sounder trains present. 

The exhibits show that in the 2010 morning peak hour, the study area 

intersections range from LOS A through D. In the 2010 afternoon peak 

hour, no intersections operate at LOS E and two intersections operate at 

LOS F: 1) North Thorne Lane Southwest and Union Avenue Southwest

with 52.4 seconds per vehicle of delay, and 2) Berkeley Street 

Southwest/Union Avenue Southwest with 72.0 seconds per vehicle of 

delay. The remaining study area intersections operate at LOS A through D. 

Intersections operating at LOS E or F do not meet the LOS standard of the 

jurisdictions in which they are located (see Chapter 2). Intersection LOS is 

affected at times by train crossings as described below.
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 34 Transportation Discipline Report

Exhibit 8. Intersection LOS – Existing Year 2010, East “D” Street through South “C” Street
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 35

Exhibit 9. Intersection LOS – Existing Year 2010, South Chandler Street through South Pine 

Street
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 36 Transportation Discipline Report

Exhibit 10. Intersection LOS – Existing Year 2010, 50th Street Southwest through 60th Street 

Southwest18

 18 The intersection of 50th Street SW/S. Burlington Way is controlled by a traffic circle and although 

not measurable by HCM 2000 methodology, operations there are expected to be LOS D or better 

since traffic volumes are very low (100 vehicles or less entering the intersection in both peak 

hours).
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Transportation Discipline Report Page 37

Exhibit 11. Intersection LOS – Existing Year 2010, South 74th Street through Steilacoom 

Boulevard Southwest
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

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Exhibit 12. Intersection LOS – Existing Year 2010, 100th Street Southwest through Clover 

Creek Drive Southwest
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 39

Exhibit 13. Intersection LOS – Existing Year 2010, North Thorne Lane Southwest
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 40 Transportation Discipline Report

Exhibit 14. Intersection LOS – Existing Year 2010, Berkeley Street Southwest
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 41

Exhibit 15. Intersection LOS – Existing Year 2010, 41st Division Drive
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 42 Transportation Discipline Report

Exhibit 16. Intersection LOS – Existing Year 2010, Barksdale Avenue
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 43

Exhibit 17. Intersection LOS – Existing Year 2010, South Terminus Nisqually Junction19

 19 Although the 10th panel of the proposed Project study area map is shown here for existing 

conditions, it will not be repeated in the future conditions discussion because there are no at-grade 

rail crossings or study area intersections on it.
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 44 Transportation Discipline Report

Existing Queue Lengths

Exhibit 18 through Exhibit 48 summarize the existing vehicle queues at 

intersections identified by the City of Tacoma for inclusion in this report 

and in Lakewood, south of where Sounder passenger train service ends

and LOS is expected to be substandard in the future. Attachment B is a 

summary of the existing and future queue lengths (both with the project 

and without) for each intersection analyzed. Existing conditions are 

summarized for these locations to provide an understanding of existing 

traffic effects on the system before future growth. The Project team has 

noted how far vehicle queues extend back from an intersection today. 

Vehicle queues can affect traffic operations by blocking access to turn 

pockets, through lanes, and driveways.

South 56th Street and South Adams Street/South Burlington Way

Exhibit 18 and Exhibit 19 summarize the existing queues at South 56th

Street and South Adams Street/South Burlington Way. 

Exhibit 18. Existing Queues and Storage at South 56th Street and South Adams 

Street/South Burlington Way

Street Movement

Storage

(feet)

Peak

Hour

Average

Queues (feet)

Maximum

Queues (feet)

South 56th Street Eastbound

(EB) Left

75 AM 0 20

PM 0 23

EB Through 300 I/S AM 8 297

PM 14 370 B

EB Right Shared AM 3 212

PM 5 285

South 56th Street Westbound

(WB) Left

75 RR AM 0 41

PM 2 93

WB Through 75 RR AM 2 126 B

PM 4 141 B

WB Right Shared AM 0 62

PM 0 97

South Adams

Street

Northbound

(NB) Left

75 AM 1 30

PM 3 40

NB Through 650 I/S AM 0 46

PM 1 58

NB Right Shared AM 1 54

PM 1 60

South Burlington

Way

Southbound 

(SB) Left

75 AM 1 29

PM 0 0

SB Through 200 RR AM 0 16

PM 0 38

SB Right Shared AM 0 0

PM 0 0

Storage distances estimated to the nearest 25 feet.

I/S Distance to next upstream intersection.

RR Distance reported to upstream railroad crossing.

_ Spillback occurs outside of storage.

B Blocks access to turn pocket or channelized right-turn.
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 45

Exhibit 19. Existing AM and PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for South 56th

Street and South Adams Street/South Burlington Way

At the South 56th Street and South Adams Street intersection, all AM peak 

hour maximum queues would be accommodated by the available storage.

Two movements are estimated to have maximum queues that would 

exceed the available storage during the PM peak hour. The eastbound 

through queue was estimated to reach a maximum length of 370 feet, 

compared to a distance of approximately 300 feet to the upstream 

intersection, which would impede turning movements from 

South Durango Street (intersects South 56th Street between South Adams 

Street and South Proctor Street). The westbound left-turn maximum queue 

of 93 feet would exceed the 75 feet of available storage and would extend 

into the railroad spur tracks west of the main tracks.
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 46 Transportation Discipline Report

South 56th Street and South Washington Street

Exhibit 20 and Exhibit 21 summarize the existing queues at South 56th

Street and South Washington Street. 

Exhibit 20. Existing Queues and Storage at South 56th Street and South Washington 

Street

Street Movement

Storage

(feet)

Peak

Hour

Average

Queues (feet)

Maximum

Queues (feet)

South 56th Street EB Left 50 AM 8 203

PM 12 192

EB Through 125 RR AM 6 187 B

PM 11 180 B

EB Right Shared AM 6 187 B

PM 11 180 B

South 56th Street WB Left Shared AM 1 54

PM 1 38

WB Through 225 I/S AM 21 317

PM 19 366

WB Right Shared AM 12 280

PM 19 366

South Washington

Street

NB Left 75 AM 1 43

PM 3 50

NB Through 600 I/S AM 4 56

PM 3 56

NB Right Shared AM 4 58

PM 4 58

South Washington

Street

SB Left 100 AM 5 56

PM 11 213

SB Through 600 I/S AM 3 50

PM 10 237 B

SB Right Shared AM 2 78

PM 63 727

Storage distances estimated to the nearest 25 feet.

I/S Distance to next upstream intersection.

RR Distance reported to upstream railroad crossing.

_ Spillback occurs outside of storage.

B Blocks access to turn pocket or channelized right-turn.
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 47

Exhibit 21. Existing AM and PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for South 56th

Street and South Washington Street

At the South 56th Street and South Washington Street intersection, the 

eastbound, westbound, and southbound maximum queues are expected to 

exceed the available storage during the PM peak hours. The same would 

occur during the AM peak hour for the eastbound and westbound 

maximum queues. Eastbound maximum queues would back up onto the 

railroad tracks, but would not reach the upstream intersection at South

Adams Street during both AM and PM peak hours. Westbound maximum

queues would extend the upstream intersection at South Tacoma Way 

during both peak hours. During the PM peak hour only, the southbound 

left-turn maximum queues would spill back into the through lane, and the 

shared through-right lane maximum queue would extend to the upstream 

intersection and could block turning movements from South 54th Street.
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 48 Transportation Discipline Report

South 56th Street and South Tacoma Way

Exhibit 22 and Exhibit 23 summarize the existing queues at South 56th

Street and South Tacoma Way. As shown below, the eastbound and 

westbound left (AM and PM) and eastbound and westbound through (PM 

only) maximum queues would extend beyond available storage and the 

through movements would block vehicles at the upstream intersections. 

The northbound left-turn maximum queue would also exceed available 

storage during the AM and PM peak hours.

Exhibit 22. Existing Queues and Storage at South 56th Street and South Tacoma 

Way

Street Movement

Storage

(feet)

Peak

Hour

Average 

Queues (feet)

Maximum 

Queues (feet)

South 56th Street EB Left 50 AM 5 66

PM 15 110

EB Through 225 I/S AM 24 179 B

PM 41 280 B

EB Right Shared AM 24 179 B

PM 9 191 B

South 56th Street WB Left 50 AM 10 93

PM 21 259

WB Through 225 I/S AM 17 163 B

PM 54 322 B

WB Right Shared AM 1 91

PM 22 249

South Tacoma

Way

NB Left 100 AM 14 132

PM 14 134

NB Through 600 I/S AM 8 97

PM 15 148 B

NB Right Shared AM 1 69

PM 12 170 B

South Tacoma

Way

SB Left 125 AM 5 75

PM 7 85

SB Through 600 I/S AM 23 122

PM 68 309 B

SB Right Shared AM 0 18

PM 17 213

Storage distances estimated to the nearest 25 feet.

I/S Distance to next upstream intersection.

RR Distance reported to upstream railroad crossing.

_ Spillback occurs outside of storage.

B Blocks access to turn pocket or channelized right-turn.
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 49

Exhibit 23. Existing AM and PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for South 56th

Street and South Tacoma Way
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 50 Transportation Discipline Report

South 56th Street and South Puget Sound Avenue

Exhibit 24 and Exhibit 25 summarize the existing queues at South 56th

Street and South Puget Sound Avenue. Maximum queues at this 

intersection would only exceed available storage for the northbound leftturn and southbound left-turn movements, and this would only occur 

during the PM peak hour.

Exhibit 24. Existing Queues and Storage at South 56th Street and South Puget 

Sound Avenue

Street Movement

Storage

(feet)

Peak

Hour

Average

Queues (feet)

Maximum

Queues (feet)

South 56th Street EB Left Shared AM 0 25

PM 0 33

EB Through 225 I/S AM 3 144

PM 7 160

EB Right Shared AM 1 78

PM 1 93

South 56th Street WB Left Shared AM 0 36

PM 1 48

WB Through 200 I/S AM 4 97

PM 6 117

WB Right Shared AM 0 28

PM 0 48

South Puget

Sound

Avenue

NB Left 50 AM 1 29

PM 2 53

NB Through 600 I/S AM 8 97 B

PM 15 148 B

NB Right Shared AM 1 55 B

PM 4 106 B

South Puget

Sound

Avenue

SB Left 50 AM 2 42

PM 8 94

SB Through 600 I/S AM 4 63 B

PM 14 124 B

SB Right Shared AM 0 10

PM 1 78 B

Storage distances estimated to the nearest 25 feet.

I/S Distance to next upstream intersection.

RR Distance reported to upstream railroad crossing.

_ Spillback occurs outside of storage.

B Blocks access to turn pocket or channelized right-turn.
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 51

Exhibit 25. Existing AM and PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for South 56th

Street and South Puget Sound Avenue
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 52 Transportation Discipline Report

South 74th Street and South Tacoma Way

Exhibit 26 and Exhibit 27 summarize queues for the South 74th Street and 

South Tacoma Way intersection. The eastbound maximum queues back up 

through the at-grade railroad crossing during the PM peak hour, but not 

the AM peak hour. Vehicle queues on the northbound approach block 

access to turn pockets, and vehicles spill back from the northbound leftturn pocket; the same is true for the southbound and westbound 

approaches.

Exhibit 26. Existing Queues and Storage at South 74th Street and South Tacoma 

Way

Street Movement

Storage

(feet)

Peak

Hour

Average

Queues (feet)

Maximum

Queues (feet)

South 74th Street EB Left 150 AM 14 113

PM 24 138

EB Through 350 RR AM 61 324 B

PM 85 397 B

EB Right Shared AM 18 233 B

PM 35 306 B

South 74th Street WB Left 150 AM 29 196

PM 43 270

WB Through 250 I/S AM 42 252 B

PM 68 364 B

WB Right Shared AM 7 162 B

PM 22 274 B

South Tacoma

Way

NB Left 225 AM 44 227

PM 55 286

NB Through 1850 

I/S

AM 39 205

PM 52 299 B

NB Right 125 AM 0 0

PM 0 18

South Tacoma

Way

SB Left 175 AM 11 91

PM 36 197

SB Through 575 I/S AM 35 170

PM 95 433 B

SB Right Shared AM 29 165

PM 92 429 B

Storage distances estimated to the nearest 25 feet.

I/S Distance to next upstream intersection.

RR Distance reported to upstream railroad crossing.

_ Spillback occurs outside of storage.

B Blocks access to turn pocket or channelized right-turn.
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 53

Exhibit 27. Existing AM and PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for South 74th

Street and South Tacoma Way
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 54 Transportation Discipline Report

North Thorne Lane Southwest and Union Avenue Southwest

Exhibit 28 and Exhibit 29 summarize queues for the North Thorne Lane 

Southwest and Union Avenue Southwest intersection. The westbound 

maximum queues do not back up to the at-grade railroad crossing. Vehicle 

queues on the northbound approach block access to turn pockets.

Exhibit 28. Existing Queues and Storage at North Thorne Lane Southwest and 

Union Avenue Southwest

Street Movement

Storage

(feet)

Peak

Hour

Average

Queues (feet)

Maximum

Queues (feet)

North Thorne Lane 

Southwest

EB Through 250 I/S AM 5 107

PM 37 239

EB Right Shared AM 1 53

PM 14 186

North Thorne Lane 

Southwest

WB Left Shared AM 0 13

PM 1 60

WB Through 150 RR AM 0 13

PM 1 60

Union Avenue

Southwest

NB Left 600 I/S AM 1 59 B

PM 193 B 682 B

NB Right 50 AM 5 113

PM 235 736

Storage distances estimated to the nearest 25 feet.

I/S Distance to next upstream intersection.

RR Distance reported to upstream railroad crossing.

_ Spillback occurs outside of storage.

B Blocks access to turn pocket or channelized right-turn.
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 55

Exhibit 29. Existing AM and PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for North

Thorne Lane Southwest and Union Avenue Southwest
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 56 Transportation Discipline Report

North Thorne Lane Southwest and I-5 Southbound Ramps

Exhibit 30 and Exhibit 31 summarize the queues for the North Thorne 

Lane Southwest and I-5 Southbound Ramps intersection. Eastbound 

queues extend beyond the Union Avenue Southwest intersection and the 

southbound right-turn queue blocks access to the shared left/through lane.

Exhibit 30. Existing Queues and Storage at North Thorne Lane Southwest and I-5 

Southbound Ramps

Street Movement

Storage

(feet)

Peak

Hour

Average

Queues (feet)

Maximum

Queues (feet)

North Thorne Lane 

Southwest

EB Through 100 I/S AM 83 202

PM 125 203

EB Right 100 I/S AM 83 202

PM 125 203

North Thorne Lane 

Southwest

WB Left Shared AM 3 53

PM 1 23

WB Through 175 I/S AM 3 53

PM 1 23

I-5 SB Off-Ramp SB Left Shared AM 96 585 B

PM 102 514 B

SB Through 1700 

I/S

AM 96 585 B

PM 102 514 B

SB Right 300 AM 114 615

PM 122 544

Storage distances estimated to the nearest 25 feet.

I/S Distance to next upstream roadway.

RR Distance reported to upstream railroad crossing.

_ Spillback occurs outside of storage.

B Blocks access to turn pocket or channelized right-turn.
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 57

Exhibit 31. Existing AM and PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for North

Thorne Lane Southwest and I-5 Southbound Ramps
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 58 Transportation Discipline Report

North Thorne Lane Southwest and I-5 Northbound Ramps

Exhibit 32 and Exhibit 33 summarize the queues for the North Thorne 

Lane Southwest and I-5 Northbound Ramps intersection. The westbound 

right-turn queue extends beyond its available length and blocks access to 

the adjacent westbound through lane.

Exhibit 32. Existing Queues and Storage at North Thorne Lane Southwest and I-5 

Northbound Ramps

Street Movement

Storage

(feet)

Peak

Hour

Average

Queues (feet)

Maximum

Queues (feet)

North Thorne Lane 

Southwest

EB Left 175 I/S AM 1 21

PM 5 66

EB Through 175 I/S AM 1 21

PM 5 66

North Thorne Lane 

Southwest

WB Through 725 I/S AM 103 422 B

PM 94 712 B

WB Right 200 AM 103 422

PM 94 712

I-5 NB Off-Ramp NB Left Shared AM 20 183

PM 16 171

NB Through 1150 

I/S 

AM 20 183

PM 16 171

NB Right 325 AM 30 196

PM 27 184

Storage distances estimated to the nearest 25 feet.

IS Distance to next upstream roadway.

RR Distance reported to upstream railroad crossing.

_ Spillback occurs outside of storage.

B Blocks access to turn pocket or channelized right-turn.
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 59

Exhibit 33. Existing AM and PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for North

Thorne Lane Southwest and I-5 Northbound Ramps
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 60 Transportation Discipline Report

Berkeley Street Southwest and Union Avenue Southwest

Exhibit 34 and Exhibit 35 summarize the queues for the Berkeley Street 

Southwest and Union Avenue Southwest intersection. The eastbound and 

southbound queues extend to the upstream intersections and the 

westbound queue extends beyond the railroad crossing. On the northbound 

approach, the queues interfere with each other in the PM peak hour; right

turns spill out of the pocket and the left/through queues back blocking the 

right-turn pocket. On the southbound approach, the queues in the left-turn 

lane and in the through/right lane interfere with each other similarly in 

both peak hours.

Exhibit 34. Existing Queues and Storage at Berkeley Street Southwest and Union 

Avenue Southwest

Street Movement

Storage

(feet)

Peak

Hour

Average

Queues (feet)

Maximum

Queues (feet)

Berkeley Street 

Southwest

EB Left Shared AM 7 130

PM 73 508

EB Through 450 I/S AM 7 130

PM 80 520

EB Right Shared AM 7 130

PM 73 508

Berkeley Street 

Southwest

WB Left Shared AM 46 229 B

PM 2 109 B

WB Through 100 RR AM 46 229 B

PM 2 109 B

WB Right 75 AM 46 229

PM 2 109

Militia Drive NB Left Shared AM 1 49

PM 200 B 557 B

NB Through 575 I/S AM 1 49

PM 200 B 557 B

NB Right 50 AM 2 62

PM 211 570

Union Avenue 

Southwest

SB Left 575 I/S AM 14 165 B

PM 165 B 760 B

SB Through 100 AM 14 165

PM 165 760

SB Right Shared AM 14 165

PM 165 760

Storage distances estimated to the nearest 25 feet.

IS Distance to next upstream roadway.

RR Distance reported to upstream railroad crossing.

_ Spillback occurs outside of storage.

B Blocks access to turn pocket or channelized right-turn.
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Transportation Discipline Report Page 61

Exhibit 35. Existing AM and PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for Berkeley 

Street Southwest and Union Avenue Southwest
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 62 Transportation Discipline Report

Berkeley Street Southwest and I-5 Southbound Ramps

Exhibit 36 and Exhibit 37 summarize the queues for the Berkeley Street 

Southwest and I-5 Southbound Ramps intersection. The maximum queues 

on the eastbound approach extend back thought the Union Avenue 

Southwest intersection in both the AM and PM peak hours. On the 

southbound approach, the maximum queues for the southbound left-turn 

and southbound right-turn movement interfere with each other in the AM 

peak hour to compound the queue, but not the PM peak hour.

Exhibit 36. Existing Queues and Storage at Berkeley Street Southwest and I-5 

Southbound Ramps

Street Movement

Storage

(feet)

Peak

Hour

Average

Queues (feet)

Maximum

Queues (feet)

Berkeley Street 

Southwest

EB Through 100 I/S AM 94 258

PM 181 295

EB Right 100 I/S AM 113 282

PM 201 319

Berkeley Street 

Southwest

WB Left Shared AM 4 120

PM 0 37

WB Through 175 I/S AM 5 122

PM 1 38

I-5 SB Off-Ramp SB Left Shared AM 144 1,009 B

PM 49 264

SB Through 1100 

I/S

AM Not listed Not listed

PM Not listed Not listed

SB Right 300 AM 144 1010

PM 50 264

Storage distances estimated to the nearest 25 feet.

IS Distance to next upstream roadway.

RR Distance reported to upstream railroad crossing.

_ Spillback occurs outside of storage.

B Blocks access to turn pocket or channelized right-turn.
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 63

Exhibit 37. Existing AM and PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for Berkeley 

Street Southwest and I-5 Southbound Ramps
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 64 Transportation Discipline Report

Berkeley Street Southwest and I-5 Northbound Ramps

Exhibit 38 and Exhibit 39 summarize the queues for the Berkeley Street 

Southwest and I-5 Northbound Ramps intersection. The maximum queues 

do not back into adjacent intersections.

Exhibit 38. Existing Queues and Storage at Berkeley Street Southwest and I-5 

Northbound Ramps

Street Movement

Storage

(feet)

Peak

Hour

Average

Queues (feet)

Maximum

Queues (feet)

Berkeley Street

Southwest

EB Left Shared AM 0 47

PM 0 8

EB Through 175 I/S AM 0 47

PM 0 8

Berkeley Street

Southwest

WB Through 2225 I/S AM 207 1,207

PM 310 1.181

WB Right Shared AM 219 1.234

PM 326 1.209

I-5 NB Off-Ramp NB Left Shared AM 76 355

PM 22 147

NB Through 1150 I/S AM Not listed Not listed

PM Not listed Not listed

NB Right 375 AM 0 4

PM 0 0

Storage distances estimated to the nearest 25 feet.

IS Distance to next upstream roadway.

RR Distance reported to upstream railroad crossing.

_ Spillback occurs outside of storage.

B Blocks access to turn pocket or channelized right-turn.
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 65

Exhibit 39. Existing AM and PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for Berkeley 

Street Southwest and I-5 Northbound Ramps
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 66 Transportation Discipline Report

41st Division Drive and I-5 Ramps

Exhibit 40, Exhibit 41, and Exhibit 42 summarize the queues for the 41st

Division Drive and I-5 Southbound Ramps intersection and 41st Division 

Drive and I-5 Northbound Ramps intersection. No queues spill back into 

adjacent intersections.

Exhibit 40. Existing Queues and Storage at 41st Division Drive and I-5 Southbound

Ramps

Street Movement

Storage

(feet)

Peak

Hour

Average

Queues (feet)

Maximum

Queues (feet)

41st Division Drive EB Through 2200 I/S AM 0 0

PM 19 170

EB Right Shared AM 0 0

PM 19 170

41st Division Drive WB Through 500 I/S AM 6 138

PM 0 0

WB Right Shared AM 1 44

PM 0 13

I-5 SB Off-Ramp NB Right

(Loop)

1150 I/S AM 12 392

PM 0 36

SB Right 1350 I/S AM 0 32

PM 0 0

Storage distances estimated to the nearest 25 feet.

IS Distance to next upstream roadway.

RR Distance reported to upstream railroad crossing.

_ Spillback occurs outside of storage.

B Blocks access to turn pocket or channelized right-turn.
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Transportation Discipline Report Page 67

Exhibit 41. Existing Queues and Storage at 41st Division Drive and I-5 Northbound 

Ramps

Street Movement

Storage

(feet)

Peak

Hour

Average

Queues (feet)

Maximum

Queues (feet)

41st Division Drive EB Through 500 I/S AM 0 7

PM 67 332

EB Right Shared AM 0 7

PM 67 332

41st Division Drive WB Through 1,450 I/S AM 0 2

PM 250 1,197

WB Right Shared AM 0 2

PM 250 1,197

I-5 NB Off-Ramp NB Right 1,200 I/S AM 15 367

PM 0 0

SB Right 

(Loop)

1,100 I/S AM 0 0

PM 0 0

Storage distances estimated to the nearest 25 feet.

IS Distance to next upstream roadway.

RR Distance reported to upstream railroad crossing.

_ Spillback occurs outside of storage.

B Blocks access to turn pocket or channelized right-turn.
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 68 Transportation Discipline Report

Exhibit 42. Existing AM and PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for 41st

Division Drive and I-5 Ramps
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 69

Barksdale Avenue and Steilacoom-DuPont Road Southwest/Wilmington 

Drive

Exhibit 43 and Exhibit 44 summarize the queues for the Barksdale Avenue 

and Steilacoom-DuPont Road Southwest/Wilmington Drive intersection. 

On the westbound and northbound approaches, the left-turn and through 

queues interfere with each other in the AM and PM peak hours. On the 

southbound approach, the left-turn and through queues interfere with each 

other only in the AM peak hour and backup beyond the curbed-off 

southerly Station Drive intersection. On the eastbound approach, queues 

from all movements interfere with each other in the both peak hours.

Exhibit 43. Existing Queues and Storage at Barksdale Avenue and SteilacoomDuPont Road Southwest/Wilmington Drive

Street Movement

Storage

(feet)

Peak

Hour

Average

Queues (feet)

Maximum

Queues (feet)

Barksdale Avenue EB Left 35 AM 13 112

PM 12 96

EB Through 700 I/S AM 13 112 B

PM 12 96 B

EB Right Shared AM 3 86 B

PM 2 70 B

Barksdale Avenue WB Left 125 AM 17 146

PM 26 134

WB Through 250 RR AM 17 146 B

PM 26 134 B

WB Right 175 AM 5 153

PM 14 163

Wilmington Drive NB Left 75 AM 9 83

PM 15 119

NB Through 2,175 I/S AM 9 83 B

PM 15 119 B

NB Right 125 AM 4 85

PM 2 111

SteilacoomDuPont Road

Southwest

SB Left 350 AM 71 365

PM 41 266

SB Through 625 I/S AM 71 365 B

PM 41 266

SB Right Shared AM 46 322

PM 20 223

Storage distances estimated to the nearest 25 feet.

IS Distance to next upstream roadway.

RR Distance reported to upstream railroad crossing.

_ Spillback occurs outside of storage.

B Blocks access to turn pocket or channelized right-turn.
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 70 Transportation Discipline Report

Exhibit 44. Existing AM and PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for Barksdale 

Avenue and Steilacoom-DuPont Road Southwest/Wilmington Drive
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 71

Barksdale Avenue and I-5 Southbound Ramps

Exhibit 45 and Exhibit 46 summarize the queues for the Barksdale Avenue 

and I-5 Southbound Ramps intersection. Maximum queues on the 

westbound approach back through the upstream I-5 Northbound Ramps 

intersection.

Exhibit 45. Existing Queues and Storage at Barksdale Avenue and I-5 Southbound 

Ramps

Street Movement

Storage

(feet)

Peak

Hour

Average

Queues (feet)

Maximum

Queues (feet)

Barksdale Avenue EB Through 350 I/S AM 71 302

PM 32 187

EB Right 275 AM 1 20

PM 0 58

Barksdale Avenue WB Left Shared AM 25 274

PM 18 322

WB Through 225 I/S AM 25 274

PM 18 322

I-5 SB Off-Ramp SB Left Shared AM 18 167

PM 1 97

SB Through 1350 I/S AM 18 167

PM 1 97

SB Right 500 AM 5 161

PM 3 118

Storage distances estimated to the nearest 25 feet.

IS Distance to next upstream roadway.

RR Distance reported to upstream railroad crossing.

_ Spillback occurs outside of storage.

B Blocks access to turn pocket or channelized right-turn.
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 72 Transportation Discipline Report

Exhibit 46. Existing AM and PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for Barksdale 

Avenue and I-5 Southbound Ramps
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 73

Barksdale Avenue/Locust Road and I-5 Northbound Ramps

Exhibit 47 and Exhibit 48 summarize the queues for the Barksdale 

Avenue/Locust Road and I-5 Northbound Ramps intersection. The 

eastbound approach queue extends through the I-5 Southbound Ramps 

intersection and the westbound approach queue extends nearly to West 

Way.

Exhibit 47. Existing Queues and Storage at Barksdale Avenue/Locust Road and I-5 

Northbound Ramps

Street Movement

Storage

(feet)

Peak

Hour

Average

Queues (feet)

Maximum

Queues (feet)

Barksdale

Avenue

EB Left 225 I/S AM 81 308

PM 41 195

EB Through 225 I/S AM 81 308

PM 41 195

Locust

Road

WB Through 1,025 I/S AM 45 276

PM 188 900

WB Right 1,025 I/S AM 26 276

PM 172 902

I-5 NB

Off-Ramp

NB Left Shared AM 52 355

PM 55 301

NB Through 1,600 I/S AM 27 304

PM 55 301

NB Right 600 AM 27 304

PM 25 252

Storage distances estimated to the nearest 25 feet.

IS Distance to next upstream roadway.

RR Distance reported to upstream railroad crossing.

_ Spillback occurs outside of storage.

B Blocks access to turn pocket or channelized right-turn.
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 74 Transportation Discipline Report

Exhibit 48. Existing AM and PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for Barksdale 

Avenue/Locust Road and I-5 Northbound Ramps

What is bus service like in the study area?

Sound Transit, Pierce Transit, and Olympia Express (Intercity Transit)

provide bus transit service in the study area. Exhibit 49 shows the location 

where routes from the agencies cross the Project alignment.
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Transportation Discipline Report Page 75

Exhibit 49. Transit Routes Using Project Highway/Rail Crossings

Crossing Street Sound Transit Pierce Transit

Olympia Express

(Intercity Transit)

East “D” Street20 574, 593 42

East “C” Street

South “C” Street

South Chandler 

Street

South Alaska Street

South Wilkeson 

Street

3

South Pine Street 57

35th Street 

Southwest

52

50th Street 

Southwest

South 56th Street

60th Street 

Southwest

593

South 74th Street 202

Steilacoom Blvd 

Southwest

3

100th Street 

Southwest

48

108th Street 

Southwest

574 204

Bridgeport Way 

Southwest

206

Clover Creek Drive

Southwest

North Thorne Lane 

Southwest

206

Berkeley Street

Southwest

41st Division Drive

Barksdale Avenue

Sound Transit bus routes in the study area provide passenger service 

between the cities of DuPont, Lakewood, Tacoma, and Seattle. Pierce 

Transit provides routes connecting Lakewood, Tacoma, and JBLM. 

Intercity Transit operates Olympia Express routes that connect downtown 

Tacoma to downtown Olympia. There are no bus lanes or arterial highoccupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes on the local streets through the at-grade 

rail crossings. Because buses operate in mixed traffic on the same 

 20 Separate construction by Sound Transit will result in the conditions described at E. “D” Street, 

E. “C” Street, and S. “C” Street
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 76 Transportation Discipline Report

roadways described above, local street system delays would also be 

similar.

How does truck freight move on the local streets?

There are no truck-only lanes on the local streets through the at-grade rail 

crossings. Because trucks operate in mixed traffic on the same roadways 

described above, local street system delays would also be similar. No data 

was found on designated truck routes in the comprehensive plans of the 

local agencies; however, many of the crossings occur on arterials that 

accommodate truck traffic.

What are the pedestrian and bicycle facilities in the study 

area?

Pedestrians are served by sidewalks along most of the streets in the study 

area. Bike lanes are present on a few of the streets in the project corridor. 

In Tacoma, bike lanes are provided on both sides of East “D” Street and 

East “C” Street, but markings do not continue over the railroad crossing. 

Bicyclists enter the vehicle travel lane to cross the railroad tracks before 

rejoining the bike lane on the other side. A combination bike 

lane/sidewalk is provided on the east side of South “C” Street. Most 

bicycle traffic shares the road with vehicular traffic. Where bicycles are 

on-road with other vehicles, their crossings of the railroad tracks are 

controlled in the same manner as motorized vehicles. Additionally, the 

crossing at 108th Street Southwest in Lakewood has bike lanes; however, 

the bike lanes are marked through the crossing.

Pedestrians and bicyclists are permitted to cross the tracks at-grade at all 

of the study area intersections. Many of the railroad crossings provide 

sidewalks and paved walkways. For all railroad crossings, the rails are 

recessed into the pavement, which increases pedestrian and bicyclist 

crossing safety. 

Existing pedestrian connections between the Tacoma Amtrak Station and 

Tacoma Dome Station rail platforms are approximately 10 minutes to 

walk and approximately 6 minutes to walk to the Tacoma transit center on 

Puyallup Avenue. Passengers who drive to the Tacoma Amtrak Station are 

able to park in a lot adjacent to the platform. This parking lot provides 

approximately 82 parking spaces; short-term and long-term overnight 

parking is provided free of charge.

What are the parking conditions in the study area?

The existing Tacoma Amtrak Station has an on-site parking lot with 82 

parking spaces that is accessible from Puyallup Avenue. This parking lot
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 77

access is located approximately three blocks east of the Tacoma Dome 

Station.

Parking provided for the Tacoma Dome Station at Freighthouse Square is

accessed via East “E” Street, Puyallup Avenue, East “G” Street, and East

25th Street. On-street parking is also provided on Puyallup Avenue, East

25th Street, and East 26th Street. Exhibit 50 shows the parking garages 

attached to the Tacoma Dome Station. Currently, parking is free, but

vehicles cannot remain longer than 24 hours in the parking garages. There 

are 2,283 parking spaces at the Tacoma Dome Station. Exhibit 50shows 

the layout of the Tacoma Dome Station.

Exhibit 50. Tacoma Dome Station at Freighthouse Square

Source: http://www.piercetransit.org/tds2.htm

In addition to the off-street parking lots described above, on-street parking is 

also available in the general vicinity. A parking survey was completed on 

December 1, 2011 between 12:45 PM – 2:30 PM to collect information on 

parking supply and utilization in the following areas:

• Puyallup Avenue – between East 22nd Street and East “G”

Street

• East 25th Street – between the I-705 overpass and East “G”

Street

• E 26th Street – between the I-705 overpass and East “G”

Street

• East “C” Street – between Puyallup Avenue and East 26th

Street
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 78 Transportation Discipline Report

• East “D” Street – between Puyallup Avenue and East 26th

Street

• East “G” Street – between Puyallup Avenue and East 26th

Street

Along these roadways, on-street parking is either restricted to a time limit 

between one and two hours, or is unrestricted (no time limit specified). The 

parking data from the survey are summarized in Exhibit 51.

Exhibit 51. Parking Survey Data

Roadway

Restricted (1-Hour) Restricted (2-Hour) Unrestricted

Occupied/ 

Supply Utilization

Occupied/ 

Supply Utilization

Occupied/ 

Supply Utilization

Puyallup Avenue 1 / 4 25% 4 / 22 18% 26 / 28 93%

East 25th Street NA / NA NA 32 / 35 91% 46 / 47 98%

East 26th Street 6 / 9 67% 5 / 12 42% 61 / 64 95%

East “C” Street 0 / 2 0% NA / NA NA 20 / 28 71%

East “D” Street NA / NA NA NA / NA NA NA / NA NA

East “G” Street NA / NA NA NA / NA NA 6 / 6 100%

Total 7 / 15 47% 41 / 69 59% 159 / 173 92%

Exhibit 51 shows that the general vicinity has approximately 15 one-hour onstreet parking spaces, and, during the time frame of the parking survey, was 

slightly less than half utilized. The supply of on-street two-hour parking, 

approximately 69 spaces, is much higher than the supply of one-hour 

parking, and had a utilization rate of more than half. The majority of onstreet parking supply is unrestricted and is close to 100% utilized.

How do train operations affect traffic? 

The peak period is the time of day when the highest amount of vehicles travel 

on the roadway network. The Project team defined the morning peak period 

as 7:00 AM to 9:00 AM and afternoon peak period from 4:00 PM to 

6:00 PM. The peak period traffic is used to determine the highest peak hour 

in the morning and afternoon commute periods, which is used in the local 

streets operation analysis. Exhibit 52 summarizes the 2010 morning and 

afternoon peak-hour roadway volumes crossing the railroad tracks along the 

study area.
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Transportation Discipline Report Page 79

Exhibit 52. Existing Highway/Rail Crossing Volumes

Crossing Street Hourly Vehicle Volumes

Name Direction Morning Afternoon

Early

Morning

Midday /

“Noon”

East “D” Street21 Northbound 328 202 N/A N/A

Southbound 56 321 N/A N/A

East “C” Street

Northbound 202 59 N/A N/A

Southbound 21 93 N/A N/A

South “C” Street

Northbound 61 53 N/A N/A

Southbound 74 129 N/A N/A

South Chandler Street

Northbound 21 21 N/A N/A

Southbound 15 25 N/A N/A

South Alaska Street

Northbound 13 8 N/A N/A

Southbound 12 12 N/A N/A

South Wilkeson Street

Northbound 280 238 N/A N/A

Southbound 166 394 N/A N/A

South Pine Street

Northbound 534 1,105 N/A N/A

Southbound 526 946 N/A N/A

35th Street Southwest

Eastbound 124 173 N/A N/A

Westbound 139 193 N/A N/A

50th Street Southwest

Eastbound 30 63 N/A N/A

Westbound 39 19 N/A N/A

South 56th Street

Eastbound 944 987 N/A N/A

Westbound 711 1,408 N/A N/A

60th Street Southwest

Eastbound 34 32 N/A N/A

Westbound 20 42 N/A N/A

South 74th Street

Eastbound 872 837 N/A N/A

Westbound 774 884 N/A N/A

Steilacoom Blvd Southwest

Eastbound 624 1,009 N/A N/A

Westbound 1,136 999 N/A N/A

100th Street Southwest

Eastbound 581 1,140 N/A N/A

Westbound 1,004 983 N/A NA

108th Street Southwest

Eastbound 313 774 N/A N/A

Westbound 537 539 N/A N/A

Bridgeport Way Southwest

Northbound 774 1,041 N/A N/A

Southbound 753 880 N/A N/A

Clover Creek Drive Southwest

Eastbound 61 43 N/A N/A

Westbound 32 85 N/A N/A

North Thorne Lane Southwest

Eastbound 219 407 87 309

Westbound 274 467 391 479

Berkeley Street Southwest

Eastbound 243 530 133 382

Westbound 497 347 175 575

41st Division Drive

Eastbound 972 1,343 420 1,135

Westbound 846 580 1,245 685

Barksdale Avenue

Eastbound 609 670 375 575

Westbound 737 795 664 484

 21 Separate construction by Sound Transit will result in the conditions described at E. “D” Street, 

E. “C” Street, and S. “C” Street
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 80 Transportation Discipline Report

The volumes summarized in Exhibit 52 are used in the analyses for local 

streets and the at-grade railroad crossing queues. Traffic volumes provide 

an understanding of how busy or heavily used a railroad crossing is and 

the magnitude of effect. Railroad crossings with higher vehicle volumes 

crossing the tracks are likely to have longer vehicle queues when the gates 

are down. However, roadway geometrics, adjacent intersection operations, 

and the length of time it takes for a train to pass (the time the gates are 

closed) affect the delay to vehicles and non-motorized users.

To address how traffic from JBLM creates peaks outside the typical 

commuter peaks, traffic analysts summarized vehicle volumes for the 

early morning22 peak hour and midday23 peak hour near JBLM. As shown 

in Exhibit 52, the total entering volumes for intersections is higher in the 

morning (AM) peak hour compared to the early morning (AM) peak hour; 

similarly, the total entering volumes for the afternoon (PM) peak hour are 

higher compared to the midday peak hour. Therefore, the Project used a 

common morning and afternoon peak hour in the evaluation of operating 

conditions.

Most drivers and non-motorized users would experience an increase in 

wait time (delay) at an intersection affected by a train event; a train event 

includes the time warning lights flash before the gates, if any, close and 

the time for any gates to be raised again. Today, there are two or less 

freight train events per day; each event varies depending on the length of 

the freight trains. With Sounder trains, blockage times would vary from 

46-70 seconds. Train events are spread out over the day and typically do 

not occur immediately after another, providing time for local street 

operations to return to their normal operating conditions. During the 

morning and afternoon peak hours, typically no freight train events occur, 

but Sounder revenue trains would cross twice (once during the morning 

and afternoon peaks) when service begins to the Lakewood Station. At 

108th Street Southwest, Sound Transit would operate one non-revenue 

Sounder train during the afternoon peak in addition to the revenue train.

What are the roadway safety concerns in the study area?

Grade Crossing Diagnostic Team Review

In September 2006, early in the planning of the Point Defiance Bypass 

Project, FRA and WSDOT assembled a diagnostic team to discuss future 

configurations of grade crossings on the Bypass Route and make 

recommendations for the crossing designs. The team surveyed most of the 

grade crossings on the Bypass Route from South 74th Street through 

Barksdale Avenue. Exhibit 53 summarizes the team’s recommendations 

 22 Early morning timeframe is from 5:00 AM to 7:00 AM. 23 Midday timeframe is from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 81

for safety improvements and what is currently included in the Project

design. Nearly all of the recommendations were incorporated with only a 

couple of exceptions.

Exhibit 53. Summary of Safety Improvement Opportunities Identified by Diagnostic

Team

Grade Crossing Safety Improvements

Street

(Crossing ID)

Features Considered by Diagnostic 

Team

Improvements Incorporated by 

Sound Transit and with the Build 

Alternative

South 74th Street

(085396R)

• Interconnect with South Tacoma Way 

signal

• Advance pre-emption at crossing

• Medians separators on both sides

• Pre-signals

• “Do Not Stop On Tracks” signage

Sound Transit incorporated all of 

the recommendations

Steilacoom Blvd 

Southwest

(085400D

• Advance pre-emption

• Median separator east of crossing

• C-curb barrier west of crossing

• “Do Not Stop On Tracks” signage

• Relocate westbound bus stop to east 

side of crossing

Sound Transit incorporated all of 

the recommendations

100th Street Southwest

(085402S)

• Gates

• Wayside horns

• Interconnect with Lakeview Avenue

signal

• Median separators on both sides

• “Do Not Stop On Tracks” signage

Sound Transit incorporated all of 

the recommendations

108th Street Southwest

(085404F)

• Wayside horns

• Interconnect with Lakeview Avenue

signal

• Median separators on both sides

• “Do Not Stop On Tracks” signage

Sound Transit incorporated all of 

the recommendations

Bridgeport Way 

Southwest

(085821P)

• Interconnect with Pacific Highway 

signal

• Median separators on both sides

Sound Transit incorporated all of 

the recommendations.

Clover Creek Drive

Southwest

(085822W)

• Median separators on both sides

• “Do Not Stop On Tracks” signage

• Gates and flashing lights

The Build Alternative would 

incorporate all of these 

recommendations.

North Thorne Lane 

Southwest

(085828M)

• C-curb barriers on both sides

• Gates and flashers

• New signal at North Thorne Lane 

Southwest and Union Avenue 

Southwest coordinated and 

interconnected with I-5 SB Ramps 

intersection

• Interconnect with I-5 SB Ramps signal 

or relocate signal heads for 

eastbound North Thorne Lane at I-5 

SB Ramps west of railroad crossing 

on the cantilever

• “Do Not Stop On Tracks” signage

The Build Alternative would 

incorporate all of these 

recommendations, including 

median separators, with one minor 

modification:

• Single signal controller 

proposed to connect 

intersections and enhance 

signal coordination.
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 82 Transportation Discipline Report

Grade Crossing Safety Improvements

Street

(Crossing ID)

Features Considered by Diagnostic 

Team

Improvements Incorporated by 

Sound Transit and with the Build 

Alternative

Berkeley Street 

Southwest

(085829U)

• C-Curb Barriers on both sides

• Reinstate signal at Berkeley Street 

Southwest and Union Avenue 

Southwest

• Relocate signal heads for EB

Berkeley Street Southwest at I-5 SB 

Ramps west of the railroad crossing

• No Right-Turn on red signal from SB 

off-ramp

• “Do Not Stop On Tracks” signage

The Build Alternative would 

incorporated all of these 

recommendations, with a couple 

minor modifications:

• Single signal controller 

proposed to connect 

intersections and enhance 

signal coordination.

• Signal heads remain because 

the stop bar is located on the 

near side of the railroad tracks 

41st Division Drive

(085830N)

• New cantilevers and gates (EB)

• New gates (WB) for 41st Division Drive 

and I-5 SB off-ramp right turn

• Advance warning sign with flashing 

beacon on I-5 SB off-ramp “Prepare to 

Stop When Flashing”

• “Do Not Stop On Tracks” signage

The Build Alternative would 

incorporate all of the 

recommendations, plus add 

median separators on both sides

Barksdale Avenue

(085836E)

• Pre-signals coordinated with adjacent 

intersections

• Additional set of lights at the median 

flashers, aimed toward the I-5 SB 

off-ramp

The Build Alternative would 

incorporate everything but 

pre-signals; it would also:

• Single signal controller 

proposed to connect 

intersections and enhance 

signal coordination

• Add a median separator east of 

the crossing

Recent History and Accident Prediction for Existing Conditions

Based on a review of FRA Office of Safety Analysis data accessible from 

their website at http://safetydata.fra.dot.gov/OfficeofSafety/default.aspx, 

in the last five years from October 2006 through September 2011, only 

three at-grade crossing collisions have occurred between roadway vehicles 

and trains on the Bypass Route and one on the Puget Sound Route. Exhibit 

54 summarizes the collision history and collision predictions in the study 

area for the Bypass Route and the Puget Sound Route. Overall, 

approximately one accident occurs at a crossing every year based on the 

combined experience of both routes, and the accident predictions for the 

overall corridor (1.2 years between accidents) closely match the accident 

history (1.0 years between accidents).

Exhibit 54. Corridor Accident Experience – 5-Year History and Prediction for 

Existing Year 2010 Conditions

Corridor Summary Years between Accidents

Route

5-Year Accident

History

Prediction without

Sounder

Prediction with

Sounder

Puget Sound Route 2.5 3.4 No change

Bypass Route 1.7 1.9 1.5

Both Routes Combined 1.0 1.2 1.0
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 83

Exhibit 55 summarizes the collision history at each crossing for the 

Bypass Route and the Puget Sound Route. On the Bypass Route, the 

accidents occurring at East “C” Street and North Thorne Lane Southwest

were property-damage only. The accident at 100th Street Southwest

involved a collision where passengers in the vehicle were injured. Along 

the Puget Sound Route, only two accidents occurred and both involved 

fatalities: one at the Sunnyside Beach pedestrian crossing; and one at the 

Steilacoom/Union Ferry Terminal crossing.

Analysts also compared the five year accident history with estimated 

accidents using the FRA accident prediction models. The accident 

prediction models estimated the highest accident frequency would occur at 

South Pine Street at a frequency of one accident every 19 years without 

Sounder and at 100th Street Southwest at a frequency of one every 12 

years with Sounder. The predicted accident frequency at South Pine Street 

does not meet the FHWA accident frequency threshold for improving the 

crossing. 

With Sound Transit’s Sounder service, the predicted accident frequency at 

some of the crossings on the Bypass Route improves even with the 

additional service because of improvements from passive control to gated 

crossings. No changes would occur on the Puget Sound Route. At other 

crossings where gates were already in place, the predicted accident 

frequency is higher than before Sound Transit Sounder service. None of 

the individual crossings are predicted to experience accidents more 

frequently than one every 10 years.
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 84 Transportation Discipline Report

Exhibit 55. Individual Crossing Accident Experience – 5-Year History and Prediction 

for Existing Year 2010 Conditions

Individual Crossings Years between Accidents

Crossing Street

Crossing

ID

5-Year

Accident

History

Prediction

without

Sounder

Prediction

with

Sounder

Puget Sound Route

East "D" Street 085714A -

24 22 No change

McCarver 085730J - 28 No change

Sixth Avenue 085742D - 32 No change

South 19th Street 085743K - 25 No change

Sunnyside Beach Ped 085754X 5 20 No change

Steilacoom/Union Ferry Terminal 085755E 5 12 No change

Solo Point Road 085758A - 121 No change

Bypass Route

East “D” Street 396639A - 45 31

East “C” Street 396640U 5 13 13

South “C” Street n/a NEW N/A N/A25 56

South Chandler Street 085372C - 93 80

South Alaska Street 085373J - 114 101

South Wilkeson Street 085374R - 52 41

South Pine Street 085382H - 38 26

35th Street Southwest 085385D - 57 37

50th Street Southwest 085391G - 77 54

South 56th Street 085392N - 35 23

60th Street Southwest 085394C - 87 71

South 74th Street 085396R - 34 27

Steilacoom Blvd Southwest 085400D - 41 28

100th Street Southwest 085402S 5 19 12

108th Street Southwest 085404F - 53 31

Bridgeport Way Southwest 085821P - 36 No change26

Clover Creek Drive Southwest 085822W - 68 No change

North Thorne Lane Southwest 085828M 5 20 No change

Berkeley Street Southwest 085829U - 45 No change

41st Division Drive 085830N - 34 No change

Barksdale Avenue 085836E - 48 No change

 24 - Indicates no accident occurred in the five-year history from which to estimate the time between 

accidents.

25 S. “C” Street will not be used by freight trains and, without Sounder, no other trains would use 

the crossing.

26 Sounder does not travel through these interchanges and therefore the accident predictions would 

not change.
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 85

Chapter 5 – Potential Project Effects

For the Project, the Project team compared the effects that would occur 

with the No Build and the Build alternatives. This chapter describes direct

long-term operational effects of the Project, as well as the short-term and 

long-term construction effects, and potential cumulative effects. The 

following definitions have been provided to deepen the reader’s 

understanding of a project’s effects under NEPA:

• Indirect effects: An indirect effect is a reasonably foreseeable 

effect caused by a project but that would occur in the future or 

outside of the project study area.

• Direct effects: Changes inside the study area are considered direct 

effects.

• Cumulative effects: The sum of effects on the environment which 

results from the incremental impact affect of a project when added 

to other past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future actions 

regardless of what agency (federal or nonfederal) or person 

undertakes such other actions. Cumulative effects can result from 

individually minor but collectively significant actions taking place 

over a period of time.

The discussion that follows addresses these different types of effects.

How would the Project affect freight travel?

Rail Freight

The No Build Alternative would continue to affect freight rail mobility 

along the Puget Sound Route and at its junctions with the Bypass Route as 

it does today.

The Build Alternative would relocate the Amtrak Cascades train service 

from the BNSF rail line along Puget Sound to the proposed Bypass Route 

between Nisqually Junction and Freighthouse Square. Because freight 

would continue to travel on that BNSF rail line, freight travel on that line 

would not be negatively affected by the Project and would experience a 

slight benefit because of less congestion. Freight rail on the Bypass Route 

would experience more congestion; however, less freight movement 

occurs on the Bypass Route, resulting in less effect to freight and a slight 

improvement overall.
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 86 Transportation Discipline Report

Road Freight

Road-based freight would experience similar intersection delay and queue 

lengths at study area intersections that vehicles and bus transit would 

experience with the Project.

How would the Project affect passenger rail services?

The No Build Alternative would continue with passenger rail service on 

the BNSF line where it would be negatively affected by freight operations. 

Passenger rail service would have a limited ability to expand service and 

would continue to be delayed by freight operations.

The Build Alternative would relocate the Amtrak Cascades train service 

from the BNSF rail line along Puget Sound to the proposed Bypass Route 

between Nisqually Junction and Freighthouse Square. This would improve 

travel time of the Amtrak Cascades service by ten minutes because of the 

shorter distance and faster train speeds (approximately 6 miles shorter), 

and would improve on-time performance by avoiding potential delays 

from freight trains on the existing route. Additionally, trains traveling on 

the Bypass Route avoid some operational delays affecting reliability and 

travel time currently experienced on the Puget Sound Route from 

landslides, weather-related delays and closures, and drawbridge openings).

With the Build Alternative, Amtrak Cascades would use the rail line also 

used by Sound Transit’s Sounder commuter rail service. The Amtrak 

Cascades schedule would be coordinated with Sound Transit to preserve 

the line capacity needed for Sound Transit to operate commuter rail 

service and minimize effects.

How would the Project affect bus transit?

The No Build Alternative would not affect bus transit.

Because there are no HOV or transit-only lanes on streets in the study 

area, bus transit, including school buses for local school districts, would 

experience the same intersection delay and queue lengths at study area 

intersections as vehicles with the Project. The Build Alternative would not 

affect the location of bus stops or provide transit service enhancements, 

but would increase the delay for routes crossing the Project route at study 

area intersections.
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 87

How would the new Tacoma Amtrak Station location affect

pedestrian connections, parking, and traffic operations?

The Build Alternative would relocate the existing Tacoma Amtrak Station 

to the Tacoma Dome Station at Freighthouse Square. The Tacoma Dome 

Station area is also served by Tacoma Link light rail, Sounder commuter 

rail, and Pierce Transit and Sound Transit Express bus service. 

Pedestrian Connection Times

With the No Build Alternative, pedestrian connection times would be 

similar to existing conditions.

The Build Alternative’s Tacoma Amtrak Station relocation would reduce 

the pedestrian walking connection time between Amtrak passenger rail 

and the transit services provided at the Tacoma Dome Station by 

approximately nine minutes. Also, this relocation would include a parking 

area, which would be slightly farther from the station compared to existing 

conditions. The parking area for the new station would likely be located 

across the street compared to the current condition at the existing Tacoma 

Amtrak Station where a parking lot is provided near the train boarding

platform. Relocating the Tacoma Amtrak Station would also reduce the 

connection time between Amtrak rail service and connecting bus services 

by approximately four minutes, with walking distance between the two 

shortened by approximately 1,000 feet from the current condition. These 

changes in service connections would improve passenger connections and 

convenience when connecting between Amtrak and Sounder, Tacoma 

Link light rail, or bus transit.

Parking

With the No Build Alternative, the existing Tacoma Amtrak Station would 

continue to provide approximately 82 parking spaces, which would be 

sufficient because there would be no increase in passenger rail service.

With the Build Alternative, the existing Amtrak parking would be 

relocated closer to the new Tacoma Dome Station at Freighthouse Square. 

This relocation would provide the same amount or more parking than is 

currently available at the Tacoma Amtrak Station. Parking would most 

likely be located on a parcel near Freighthouse Square that either has 

parking available for lease or purchase or can be developed into a parking 

lot for exclusive use by Amtrak passengers. In addition to this proposed 

parking, there would be some available on-street parking near the station 

and in the parking garage for the Tacoma Dome Station at Freighthouse 

Square. By the 2nd quarter of 2012, FRA and WSDOT should have a 

Freighthouse Square Amtrak Relocation feasibility study completed that 

would evaluate parking options.
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 88 Transportation Discipline Report

Traffic Operations

With the No Build Alternative, drivers would experience an increase in 

travel delay around Freighthouse Square due to the projected increase in 

the number of people traveling compared to today.

As noted in Chapter 4, the predominant travel pattern for vehicles to and 

from the existing Tacoma Amtrak Station is the I-5/I-705 slip ramp and

East 26th Street to reach the existing parking lot. The Build Alternative 

would relocate the Tacoma Amtrak Station to the Tacoma Dome Station at 

Freighthouse Square, and this relocation would change how people and 

vehicles circulate in the immediate area. With parking relocated closer to 

the freeway ramp, traffic operations on Puyallup Avenue are anticipated to 

improve. Traffic volumes and LOS at intersections on East “C” Street and 

East “D” Street would be similar to the No Build Alternative.

How would the Project affect traffic on area roadways?

Travel Demand

Travel demand models were used to project how people would travel and 

where they would travel in the future, and take into consideration 

transportation improvements (see Attachment C – List of Assumed 

Projects) and changes to land use due to other actions. As seen in 

Attachment C, this analysis included an assumption that the Cross-Base 

Highway would be constructed and operational in 2030, and demand was 

estimated with and without the Cross-Base Highway.

Travel demand modeling conducted for the Project found that the addition 

of Amtrak passenger service to the Point Defiance Bypass Route would 

not change the number of people traveling in 2030 compared to the No 

Build Alternative. With the improved Amtrak service, the diversion of 

travelers from I-5 as a regional route to Amtrak service would be 

negligible. Therefore, the 2030 morning and evening peak hours 

summarized in Exhibit 56 are the same for the No Build and Build 

alternatives. These volumes represent future 2030 traffic without the 

Cross-Base Highway.
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 89

Exhibit 56. 2030 AM and PM Peak Hour Roadway Volumes 

Crossing Street

2010 Peak Hour

Roadway Volumes

2030 Peak Hour

Roadway Volumes

Street Name Direction AM PM AM PM

East “D” Street

Northbound 328 202 410 360

Southbound 56 321 175 455

East “C” Street

Northbound 202 59 245 240

Southbound 21 93 65 140

South “C” Street

Northbound 61 53 70 65

Southbound 74 129 90 155

South Chandler Street

Northbound 21 21 25 25

Southbound 15 25 20 25

South Alaska Street

Northbound 13 8 15 10

Southbound 12 12 15 15

South Wilkeson Street

Northbound 280 238 340 315

Southbound 166 394 170 440

South Pine Street

Northbound 534 1,105 575 1,225

Southbound 526 946 545 1,000

35th Street Southwest

Eastbound 124 173 125 175

Westbound 139 193 170 205

50th Street Southwest

Eastbound 30 63 35 70

Westbound 39 19 45 20

South 56th Street

Eastbound 944 987 1,080 1,250

Westbound 711 1,408 840 1,660

60th Street Southwest

Eastbound 34 32 40 45

Westbound 20 42 25 50

South 74th Street

Eastbound 872 837 1,130 1,110

Westbound 774 884 975 1,060

Steilacoom Blvd Southwest

Eastbound 624 1,009 690 1,110

Westbound 1,136 999 1,255 1,090

100th Street Southwest

Eastbound 581 1,140 615 1,240

Westbound 1,004 983 1,095 1,040

108th Street Southwest

Eastbound 313 774 355 835

Westbound 537 539 575 610

Bridgeport Way Southwest

Northbound 774 1,041 845 1,310

Southbound 753 880 895 990

Clover Creek Drive Southwest

Eastbound 61 43 80 60

Westbound 32 85 45 115

North Thorne Lane Southwest

Eastbound 219 407 210 690

Westbound 274 467 360 390

Berkeley Street Southwest

Eastbound 243 530 185 360

Westbound 497 347 430 550

41st Division Drive

Eastbound 972 1,343 1,180 1,450

Westbound 846 580 1,030 740

Barksdale Avenue

Eastbound 609 670 725 730

Westbound 737 795 890 1,090
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 90 Transportation Discipline Report

The Build Alternative would increase the number of roadway blockages

from train crossings throughout the day and during the morning and 

evening peak hour, compared to the No Build Alternative.

How would the Project affect safety at rail crossings?

Improved Crossing Locations

The Project would improve safety at several existing at-grade crossings by 

adding the following improvements (refer to Exhibit 3 in Chapter 1): 

• Signage: “Do Not Stop On Tracks” signs would be installed 

at the crossings.

• Wayside horns: A wayside horn system is an automated 

warning system that is installed at a rail/roadway at-grade 

crossing to warn people of an approaching train. 

• Median barriers: Median barriers are installed in the middle 

of the roadway approaching the railroad tracks to discourage 

vehicles from driving around the railroad crossing gates.

• Sidewalks: Sidewalks provide an ADA-accessible route over 

the tracks. Additionally, tactile strips provided with the 

improvements alert the sight-impaired to changes ahead.

• Pre-signals: Pre-signals control vehicle traffic approaching a 

railroad crossing and minimize queuing across the at-grade 

railroad crossing.

Intersection Signal Improvements

The Project would install more advanced signal controllers at the 

following crossing areas:

• North Thorne Lane Southwest

• Berkeley Street Southwest

• 41st Division Drive

• Barksdale Avenue

The more advanced signal controllers would allow synchronized operation 

of the nearby signals to reduce the likelihood of vehicles on the tracks, 

especially at railroad crossings where trains are not as frequent in the 

south end of the study area. These improvements would include additional 

vehicle detectors and enhanced traffic management that would reduce the 

delay following a train crossing event.

Exhibit 57 summarizes the changes that are currently proposed in more 

detail. FRA and WSDOT will bench test the signal controllers proposed 
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 91

with the Project during the final design and construction process to 

finalize the signal control and timing plans for the crossing areas.

Exhibit 57. Signal Controller Changes with the Build Alternative

Intersection Existing Signal Control With Project

North Thorne Lane Southwest Crossing

North Thorne Lane 

Southwest and

Union Avenue Southwest

Unsignalized (stop sign only)

Remove all 

controllers and

replace with a 

single controller 

for all three

intersections.

North Thorne Lane 

Southwest and

I-5 SB Ramps

Operates on the same controller located at the I-5 

NB Ramps intersection; controlled by WSDOT.

North Thorne Lane 

Southwest and

I-5 NB Ramps

Operates on a controller; controlled by WSDOT.

Berkeley Street Southwest Crossing

Berkeley Street 

Southwest and

Union Avenue Southwest

Controller was removed and operates on as an allway flashing red. Operation and Maintenance 

responsibility unknown. Remove all 

controllers and

replace with a 

single controller 

for all three

intersections.

Berkeley Street 

Southwest and

I-5 SB Ramps

Operates on single controller for both ramp 

intersections; controlled by WSDOT.

Berkeley Street 

Southwest and

I-5 NB Ramps

Operates on single controller for both ramp 

intersections; controlled by WSDOT.

Barksdale Avenue

Barksdale Avenue and

DuPont-Steilacoom Road

Operates on its own controller; owned by DuPont,

and controlled by WSDOT. Interconnected with 

the I-5 ramp intersection controllers. Remove all 

controllers and

replace with a 

single Controller 

for all three

intersections.

Barksdale Avenue and

I-5 SB Ramps

Operates on individual controller; controlled by 

WSDOT; interconnected with the other two 

Barksdale intersections.

Barksdale Avenue/

Locust Road and

I-5 NB Ramps

Operates on individual controller; controlled by 

WSDOT; interconnected with the other two 

Barksdale intersections.

Details of the signal phasing and timing plans would be further refined 

after the NEPA process during final design and construction; for this 

reason, those details have not been included in this report because the 

Project cannot commit to them at this stage. FRA and WSDOT will 

coordinate this effort with local agencies, such as the City of Lakewood.

Predicted Accident Experience

No Build Alternative

Overall, with the No Build Alternative, 3.6 accidents for every million 

train crossings are anticipated based on the expected number of average 

daily train crossings and predicted annual accident frequencies. On the 

Bypass Route alone, the No Build Alternative would experience 7.0

accidents for every million train crossings. Analysts have also summarized 
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 92 Transportation Discipline Report

the accident frequencies for the No Build Alternative and expressed the 

frequency in terms of years between accidents.

Under the No Build Alternative, traffic volumes and the number of 

crossings have increased compared to those for the existing conditions 

analysis. As shown by the accident frequencies in Exhibit 58, the No Build

Alternative would experience the same overall accident frequency of 1.0 

year between accidents as existing conditions (the overall change is 

small). The accident severities would likely remain the same.

Exhibit 58. Corridor Accident Experience – Predicted for Year 2030 Conditions

Corridor Summary Years between Accidents

Change

Build vs. No Build

Route

No Build Alternative

Prediction

Build Alternative

Prediction

Time between 

Accidents

Puget Sound Route 3.2 3.3 0.1 years longer

Bypass Route 1.4 1.2 0.2 years shorter

Both Routes Combined 1.0 0.9 0.1 years shorter

Build Alternative

With the Build Alternative, 3.2 accidents for every million train crossings

are anticipated based on the expected number of average daily train 

crossings and predicted annual accident frequencies. This accident rate 

would be better than the No Build Alternative (3.6 accidents per million 

train crossings). On the Bypass Route alone, the Build Alternative would 

experience 4.1 accidents for every million train crossings, which is better 

than the No Build Alternative (7.0 accidents for every million train 

crossings). Analysts have also summarized the accident frequencies for the 

Build Alternative and expressed the frequency in terms of years between 

accidents to illustrate the Project effects in greater detail.

With the Build Alternative, street traffic volumes do not increase when 

compared to the No Build Alternative. Train volumes increase compared 

to the No Build Alternative on the Bypass Route, but decrease on the 

Puget Sound Route. On the Bypass Route, along with the increased train 

traffic, improvements have been included at several railroad crossings 

(refer to Exhibit 3 in Chapter 1) that improve safety (for example, gates). 

The predicted accident frequencies for the Build Alternative are shown in 

Exhibit 58. When accidents do occur, the severity of the accidents would 

increase along the Bypass Route south of the Lakewood Sounder Station 

because high-speed trains do not currently operate along this segment. 

Overall, the time between accidents would be 0.1 years less with the Build 

Alternative than with the No Build Alternative; however, the number of 

crossing events increases and the accident rate per million train crossings 

improves with the Build Alternative.
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Transportation Discipline Report Page 93

When Amtrak service shifts from the Puget Sound Route, some 

improvement in accident frequency is predicted on the Puget Sound Route

at individual crossings, and the overall frequency between accidents would 

be longer.

On the Bypass Route, the accident frequency would increase and accidents 

would occur 0.2 years earlier than the No Build Alternative; this is in part 

due to the number of total daily crossing events on the Bypass Route 

increasing by 105 percent. Despite the shorter frequency between 

accidents, the Build Alternative would reduce the accident rate per train 

crossing event. Analysts reviewed the route in greater detail as 

summarized in Exhibit 59 and no crossing would meet the accident 

frequency thresholds described in Chapter 2 for the next level of crossing 

improvements (grade separation). The largest effects occur at Bridgeport 

Way Southwest and Barksdale Avenue, where the train volumes increase 

seven times (700 percent) over the No Build Alternative and the time 

between accidents would be shortened by 37 percent. Still, with the 

Project design, accident thresholds would not be exceeded for these 

locations, demonstrating that the design improvements included with the

Project would be sufficient.
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 94 Transportation Discipline Report

Exhibit 59. Individual Crossing Accident Experience – Predicted for Year 2030 

Conditions

Individual Crossings

Years between 

Accidents

Change

Build vs. No Build

Crossing

Crossing

ID

No Build

Alternative

Prediction

Build

Alternative

Prediction

In

Years

In

Train

Volume

Puget Sound Route

East "D" Street 085714A 21 21 0 -19%

McCarver 085730J 25 26 +1 -19%

Sixth Avenue 085742D 30 31 +1 -19%

South 19th Street 085743K 23 24 +1 -19%

Sunnyside Beach Ped 085754X 19 20 +1 -19%

Steilacoom/Union Ferry Terminal 085755E 12 12 0 -19%

Solo Point Road 085758A 109 115 +6 -19%

Bypass Route

East “D” Street 396639A 26 24 -2 88%

East “C” Street 396640U 13 12 -1 88%

South “C” Street n/a NEW 50 43 -7 88%

South Chandler Street 085372C 72 61 -9 88%

South Alaska Street 085373J 87 74 -13 88%

South Wilkeson Street 085374R 37 32 -5 88%

South Pine Street 085382H 25 22 -3 88%

35th Street Southwest 085385D 35 31 -4 88%

50th Street Southwest 085391G 49 43 -6 88%

South 56th Street 085392N 21 20 -1 88%

60th Street Southwest 085394C 61 52 -9 88%

South 74th Street 085396R 25 19 -6 88%

Steilacoom Blvd Southwest 085400D 26 20 -6 88%

100th Street Southwest 085402S 12 12 0 47%

108th Street Southwest 085404F 29 23 -6 47%

Bridgeport Way Southwest 085821P 35 22 -13 700%27

Clover Creek Drive Southwest 085822W 62 53 -9 700%

North Thorne Lane Southwest 085828M 19 12 -7 700%

Berkeley Street Southwest 085829U 44 33 -11 700%

41st Division Drive 085830N 33 25 -8 700%

Barksdale Avenue 085836E 46 29 -17 700%

 27 Train volumes increase by 700 percent from Bridgeport Way SW and to the south because Sound 

Transit Sounder trains would not operate along the route through those crossings, and the other 

background train volumes are low (two freight trains per day).
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 95

Quiet Zones

The Use of Locomotive Horns at Highway-Rail Grade Crossings; Final 

Rule (Parts 222 and 229 of title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations 

(CFR)) describes what quiet zones are and how they can be used in 

transportation systems. Quiet zones are segments of rail lines where 

locomotive horns are not routinely sounded when trains approach 

crossings. Communities can establish quiet zones to reduce noise from 

train crossings provided that appropriate safety measures are taken to 

minimize the potential effect on travel safety at highway-rail grade

crossings. The public authorities involved with a public highway-rail 

grade crossing must agree on the establishment of the quiet zone (49 CFR 

§222.37).

Public authorities may establish quiet zones by providing supplemental 

safety measures at all of the crossings in the quiet zone to mitigate the

reduction in safety experienced with the silencing of locomotive horns.

Four-quadrant gate systems and gates with medians or channelization 

devices are examples of supplement safety measures that can be applied to 

create quiet zones.

Wayside horns may be used in lieu of locomotive horns at any highwayrail grade crossing equipped with an active warning system including 

flashing lights and gates (at a minimum). Grade crossings equipped with 

wayside horns are also considered as crossings with supplemental safety 

measures when measuring the length of quiet zones, but not when 

calculating risk indices. Wayside horns focus the warning sound directly 

towards street traffic at crossings, which can reduce noise effects without a 

quiet zone being established. Wayside horns also negate the requirement 

for advance warning signs advising travelers that trains do not sound horns 

at crossings.

No Build Alternative

Under the No Build Alternative, no quiet zones would be established.

Build Alternative

Under the Build Alternative, no quiet zones would be established;

however, the crossing improvements that would be made with the Project

(median separators and wayside horns) would improve the eligibility of 

communities to establish quiet zones.

How would the Project affect local traffic operations?

The one additional train crossing (Amtrak Cascades train) during the 

morning and afternoon peak hours associated with the Build Alternative 

would mostly cause a slight change in traffic congestion for the overall 
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 96 Transportation Discipline Report

hour. This is because the vehicle volumes are the same for the No Build

and Build alternatives and the train events are relatively short in 

comparison to the overall amount of time in the hour. 

Intersection Geometry Changes

No Build Alternative

The No Build Alternative would not modify intersection geometry at the 

study intersections from existing operations.

Build Alternative

Analysts studied the Build Alternative assuming that travel lanes would be 

minimally widened (no new lanes) and turn radii would be improved 

between the I-5 SB ramp terminal and Union Avenue on both Berkeley 

Street and North Thorne Lane Southwest. These improvements would be 

built with the railroad crossing improvements. No additional intersection 

geometry changes were assumed in the analysis.

Street Operations During a Train Event

Along the Bypass Route, trains crossing roadways at-grade would close 

streets for varying periods of time for each train depending on the crossing 

location, speed and length of each train.

For the existing conditions analysis, Sound Transit Sounder trains were 

assumed to operate between Freighthouse Square and the Lakewood 

Station. This level of commuter rail operations would continue in the

future year 2030 with either the No Build or Build Alternative.

For the No Build Alternative, Sound Transit is scheduled to operate one 

Sounder train along the project corridor to the Lakewood Station during 

the AM and PM peak hours. The total overall duration of road blockage

modeled during the morning and afternoon peak hour ranges from 46 to 

190 seconds. The longer overall blockages at 100th Street Southwest and 

108th Street Southwest in the PM peak hour are from two Sounder trains

crossing the streets: one revenue train (a train in-service) and one 

non-revenue train (a train traveling between the Lakewood Station and the 

layover facility).

With the added Amtrak service, the overall total amount of blocked time 

in the hour approximately doubles at most locations with Sounder trains;

however, this is due to separate train events and not one continuous 

blockage. This increased time represents approximately 1-5 percent of the 

total morning and afternoon peak hour. The difference in the blockage 

time for study area intersections is due to train speed and crossing 

distance.
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Transportation Discipline Report Page 97

Exhibit 60 provides a comparison of the blockage time between an

Amtrak Cascades train and Sounder. An Amtrak Cascades train is slightly 

longer than a Sounder train, but would be traveling faster, causing less

road blockage time per train. The blockage times shown for Sounder trains 

crossing East “D” Street, South 56th Street, and 60th Street Southwest were 

based on preliminary information available when the traffic analysis was 

completed. Recent information provided by Sound Transit (December 

2011) indicates that the street blockage times at these crossings would 

likely be longer as indicated below:

• At East “D” Street, the blockage time may be as long as two

and a half minutes (150 seconds) while Sounder trains load 

and unload passengers at the Tacoma Dome Station at 

Freighthouse Square. At South 56th Street, northbound 

Sounder trains arriving at the South Tacoma Station would

trigger the gates to come down as the train approaches the 

station and slows to a stop, but would go up again during 

passenger loading and unloading, creating an additional street 

closure where no train crosses.

• At 60th Street Southwest, the blockage time would likely be 

nearly two and a half minutes for each southbound Sounder

train because the gates would be down while passengers enter 

and exit the train at the South Tacoma Station.

Amtrak trains would likely result in similar blockages at the East “D” 

Street crossing, but not at South 56th Street or 60th Street Southwest

because Amtrak trains would not stop at the South Tacoma Station.
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 98 Transportation Discipline Report

Exhibit 60. Future Year 2030 Peak Hour Overall Roadway Blockage by Trains28

Crossing Street

No Build Build Alternative

Sound Transit

Sounder Trains

Amtrak Cascades

Trains

Combination of Sounder and

Amtrak Cascades Service

Total

Blockage

Time

(seconds)

Overall Percent 

Time Blocked 

(percent of

one hour)

Total

Blockage

Time

(seconds)

Total

Blockage

Time

(seconds)

Overall Percent

Time Blocked

(percent of

one hour)

East “D” Street29 70 2% 74 144 4%

East “C” Street 62 2% 65 127 4%

South “C” Street 51 1% 52 103 3%

South Chandler 

Street

52 1% 53 105 3%

South Alaska Street 51 1% 52 103 3%

South Wilkeson 

Street

50 1% 48 98 3%

South Pine Street 50 1% 50 100 2%

35th Street 

Southwest

48 1% 46 94 3%

50th Street 

Southwest

46 1% 44 90 3%

South 56th Street 66 2% 54 120 3%

60th Street

Southwest

61 2% 42 103 3%

South 74th Street 59 2% 59 108 3%

Steilacoom Blvd 

Southwest

51 1% 51 100 3%

100th Street 

Southwest

53 (AM)

141

(PM)30

2% (AM)

3% (PM)

53 106 (AM)

194 (PM)

3% (AM)

5% (PM)

108th Street 

Southwest

51 (AM)

105

(PM)31

2% (AM)

3% (PM)

50 108 (AM)

155 (PM)

3% (AM)

4% (PM)

Bridgeport Way 

Southwest

0 0% 53 53 1%

Clover Creek Drive

Southwest

0 0% 42 42 1%

North Thorne Lane 

Southwest

0 0% 52 52 1%

 28 Sound Transit Sounder and Amtrak Cascades are the predominant trains occurring in the peak 

hour. Freight trains would tend to travel in the midday and avoid the peak periods of congestion on 

streets. The freight trains are approximately 2,500 feet long and travel at 10 mph, creating 

blockages lasting approximately three to four minutes. 29 Separate construction by Sound Transit will result in the conditions described at E. “D” Street, 

E. “C” Street, and S. “C” Street

30 In the PM peak hour, in addition to the one revenue train, one non-revenue train traveling 

approximately 10 mph will use the 100th Street SW crossing, which would block 100th Street SW for 

approximately 88 seconds.

31 In the PM peak hour, in addition to the one revenue train, one non-revenue train traveling 

approximately 35 mph will use the 108th Street SW crossing, which would block 108th Street SW for 

approximately 55 seconds.
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 99

Crossing Street

No Build Build Alternative

Sound Transit

Sounder Trains

Amtrak Cascades

Trains

Combination of Sounder and

Amtrak Cascades Service

Total

Blockage

Time

(seconds)

Overall Percent 

Time Blocked 

(percent of

one hour)

Total

Blockage

Time

(seconds)

Total

Blockage

Time

(seconds)

Overall Percent

Time Blocked

(percent of

one hour)

Berkeley Street

Southwest

0 0% 52 52 1%

41st Division Drive 0 0% 54 54 2%

Barksdale Avenue 0 0% 54 54 2%

The Build Alternative would increase the overall time roadways are 

blocked compared to the No Build Alternative.

Pre-signals

Pre-signals would be installed at specific crossing locations. These signals 

stop vehicles from queuing over the railroad tracks instead of the 

intersection signal. This improvement would allow the intersection to 

maintain normal operation, which would reduce congestion and vehicle 

delays at intersections.

Intersection Delay (LOS)

No Build Alternative Intersection Delay

By 2030, traffic volumes would increase, and intersection delay is 

projected to increase compared to 2010 existing conditions. The increase 

in traffic volumes and intersection delay is from actions not associated 

with the Project, such as the projected growth in population and 

employment in the area. 

Under the No Build Alternative, most of the study area intersections are 

expected to operate within the LOS D standards set by local jurisdictions 

and WSDOT (LOS A through D). Typically, intersections failing to meet 

an LOS standard indicate that some improvement is necessary, or a local 

jurisdiction can change the LOS during updates to their Comprehensive 

Plan. Study intersections failing to meet the LOS standard are summarized 

in Exhibit 61. The LOS and average intersection delay for the 2030 

morning and afternoon peak hour are illustrated in Exhibit 62 through 

Exhibit 70.
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 100 Transportation Discipline Report

Exhibit 61. Year 2030 No Build Alternative – Intersections Failing to Meet the LOS 

Standard

AM Peak Hour PM Peak Hour

Intersection LOS

Delay 

(sec./veh.) LOS

Delay 

(sec./veh.)

East “D” Street and East 26th Street -- -- E 72.6

East “C” Street and East 26th Street -- -- F >300

60th Street Southwest and South Tacoma Way -- -- E 43.8

North Thorne Lane Southwest and Union Avenue 

Southwest

-- -- F 182.9

North Thorne Lane Southwest and I-5 SB Ramps E 70.3 -- --

North Thorne Lane Southwest and I-5 NB Ramps E 75.2 F 91.3

Berkeley Avenue Southwest and Union Avenue 

Southwest

F 102.2 F 64.1

41st Division Drive and I-5 NB Ramps -- -- F 105.5

Barksdale Avenue/Locust Road and I-5 NB Ramps E 61.3 E 56.0
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 101

Exhibit 62. Intersection LOS – Future Year 2030, East “D” Street through South “C” Street
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 102 Transportation Discipline Report

Exhibit 63. Intersection LOS – Future Year 2030, South Chandler Street through South Pine 

Street
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 103

Exhibit 64. Intersection LOS – Future Year 2030, 50th Street Southwest through 60th Street 

Southwest32

 32 The intersection of 50th Street SW/S. Burlington Way is controlled by a traffic circle and,

although not measurable by HCM 2000 methodology, operations there are expected to be LOS D

or better since traffic volumes are very low (100 vehicles or less entering the intersection in both 

peak hours).
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 104 Transportation Discipline Report

Exhibit 65. Intersection LOS – Future Year 2030, South 74th Street through Steilacoom Blvd 

Southwest
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 105

Exhibit 66. Intersection LOS – Future Year 2030, 100th Street Southwest through Clover 

Creek Drive Southwest
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 106 Transportation Discipline Report

Exhibit 67. Intersection LOS – Future Year 2030, North Thorne Lane Southwest
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 107

Exhibit 68. Intersection LOS – Future Year 2030, Berkeley Street Southwest
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 108 Transportation Discipline Report

Exhibit 69. Intersection LOS – Future Year 2030, 41st Division Drive
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 109

Exhibit 70. Intersection LOS – Future Year 2030, Barksdale Avenue
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 110 Transportation Discipline Report

Build Alternative Intersection Delay

The Build Alternative would reduce the number of intersections exceeding 

the LOS D standards set by local jurisdictions and WSDOT from nine to 

eight compared to the No Build Alternative and would not degrade an 

acceptable No Build Alternative LOS condition to a substandard LOS 

condition. The Build Alternative would improve substandard LOS 

conditions at the following locations summarized in Exhibit 71 because of 

improvements proposed with the Project.

Exhibit 71. Year 2030 Intersections Improved by the Build Alternative

Intersection

AM Peak Hour LOS and 

Delay (sec./veh.)

PM Peak Hour LOS and 

Delay (sec./veh.)

No Build 

Alternative

Build 

Alternative

No Build 

Alternative

Build 

Alternative

North Thorne Lane Southwest and I-5 SB Ramps E (70.3) D (44.3) D (40.7) C (30.9)

North Thorne Lane Southwest and I-5 NB Ramps E (75.2) E (70.7) F (91.3) E (74.8)

Berkeley Street Southwest and Union Avenue 

Southwest

F (102.2) F (83.5) F (64.1) D (42.9)

Barksdale Avenue/Locust Road and I-5 NB Ramps E (62.5) E (57.6) E (56.0) E (55.8)

The following locations would experience minor effects resulting in a 

worse LOS with the Build Alternative but would continue to meet local 

jurisdiction and WSDOT LOS standards:

• Steilacoom Boulevard Southwest and Lakeview Avenue 

Southwest: PM peak hour LOS would worsen from LOS A 

(9.9 sec./veh.) to LOS B (10.2 sec./veh.).

• Berkeley Street Southwest and I-5 NB ramps: PM peak hour

LOS would worsen from LOS C (29.8 sec/veh) to LOS D 

(41.9 sec./veh.).

• 41st Division Drive and I-5 SB ramps: PM peak hour LOS 

would worsen from LOS A (9.7 sec./veh.) to LOS B (11.9 

sec./veh.).

• Barksdale Avenue and DuPont-Steilacoom Road: AM peak 

hour LOS would worsen from LOS B (19.4 sec./veh.) to LOS 

C (22.2 sec./veh.).

The remaining intersections would experience some change in delay but 

no LOS changes.

The net effect of the Project would be that 43 intersections in the AM peak 

hour and 41 intersections in the PM peak hour would experience slight to 

no noticeable effect (a delay change of five seconds or less per vehicle). 

Three intersections in both peak hours (six percent of the study

intersections) would experience improved functioning (delay 

improvements of more than five seconds per vehicle). Only one 
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 111

intersection in the AM peak hour (two percent of the study intersections) 

and three intersections in the PM peak hour (six percent of the study

intersections) would be adversely affected (delay increases greater than 

five seconds per vehicle); only one of these intersections operates 

substandard (Thorne Lane Southwest and Union Avenue Southwest at 

LOS F in the PM peak hour), but the increased delay would be

counterbalanced by the reduced delays at the two Thorne Lane Southwest

interchange ramp intersections.

Future Year 2030 Queue Lengths

Traffic analysts used VISSIM to calculate the maximum number of 

vehicles (the queue) stopped at an intersection during the morning and 

afternoon peak hours. Queues have been summarized for the following 

at-grade rail crossings because under the No Build Alternative trains do 

not typically use these crossings in the peak hour, and intersection 

operations are substandard:

• North Thorne Lane Southwest

• Berkeley Street Southwest

• 41st Division Drive

• Barksdale Avenue

The City of Tacoma specifically requested that queue lengths also be 

summarized for the South 56th Street and South 74th Street crossings.

Attachment B includes a detailed output of the existing and proposed 

queue lengths for each intersection analyzed.

No Build Alternative Queue Lengths

In 2030, the maximum queue lengths are anticipated to increase because 

of the increased traffic volumes at study area intersections (see Exhibit 72

through Exhibit 117) compared to 2010 existing conditions. Generally, the 

maximum queues illustrated in Exhibit 72 through Exhibit 117 are 

representative of queuing events when a train crosses the roadway; one 

exception is at the intersection of North Thorne Lane Southwest and 

Union Avenue Southwest in the PM peak hour, where the system 

congestion creates the maximum queues regardless of the train crossing. 
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 112 Transportation Discipline Report

Exhibit 72. 2030 Queues and Storage at South 56th Street and South Adams 

Street/South Burlington Way

Street Movement

Storage

(feet)

Peak

Hour

Average 

Queues (feet)

Maximum 

Queues (feet)

No

Action Build

No

Action Build

South 56th Street EB Left 75 AM 0 0 24 28

PM 0 0 31 31

EB Through 300 I/S AM 10 14 306 B 355 B

PM 19 23 377 B 389 B

EB Right Shared AM 3 5 221 B 271 B

PM 5 8 291 B 304 B

South 56th Street WB Left 75 RR AM 1 1 59 59

PM 5 5 156 165

WB Through 75 RR AM 5 5 183 183

PM 7 7 170 176

WB Right Shared AM 1 1 119 119

PM 1 5 116 165

South Adams

Street

NB Left 75 AM 1 1 38 36

PM 3 3 51 51

NB Through 650 I/S AM 0 0 58 60

PM 3 3 75 84 B

NB Right Shared AM 1 1 63 64

PM 3 3 77 86 B

South Burlington

Way

SB Left 75 AM 1 1 34 34

PM 0 0 0 0

SB Through 200 RR AM 1 1 42 42

PM 1 1 50 51

SB Right Shared AM 0 0 0 0

PM 0 0 0 0

Storage distances estimated to the nearest 25 feet.

IS Distance to next upstream roadway.

RR Distance reported to upstream railroad crossing.

_ Queue extends beyond lane storage.

B Blocks access to turn pocket or channelized right-turn.
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 113

Exhibit 73. 2030 AM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for South 56th Street and 

South Adams Street/South Burlington Way
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 114 Transportation Discipline Report

Exhibit 74. 2030 PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for South 56th Street and 

South Adams Street/South Burlington Way
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 115

Exhibit 75. 2030 Queues and Storage at South 56th Street and South Washington 

Street

Street Movement

Storage

(feet)

Peak

Hour

Average 

Queues (feet)

Maximum Queues

(feet)

No

Action Build

No

Action Build

South 56th Street EB Left 50 AM 15 15 231 234

PM 20 19 240 242

EB Through 125 RR AM 9 9 224 B 225 B

PM 16 15 237 B 238 B

EB Right Shared AM 9 9 224 B 225 B

PM 16 15 237 B 238 B

South 56th Street WB Left Shared AM 1 1 107 110

PM 2 2 154 160

WB Through 225 I/S AM 25 27 342 351

PM 47 50 391 391

WB Right Shared AM 16 17 306 314

PM 47 50 391 391

South Washington

Street

NB Left 75 AM 2 2 42 42

PM 2 3 48 50

NB Through 600 I/S AM 4 4 58 58

PM 3 4 64 64

NB Right Shared AM 4 5 60 60

PM 4 4 66 66

South Washington

Street

SB Left 100 AM 5 5 67 69

PM 31 87 505 830

SB Through 600 I/S AM 3 3 50 50

PM 42 135 B 800 B 1,219 B

SB Right Shared AM 2 3 91 95

PM 310 517 B 1,330 1633

Storage distances estimated to the nearest 25 feet.

IS Distance to next upstream roadway.

RR Distance reported to upstream railroad crossing.

_ Queue extends beyond lane storage.

B Blocks access to turn pocket or channelized right-turn.
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 116 Transportation Discipline Report

Exhibit 76. 2030 AM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for South 56th Street and 

South Washington Street
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 117

Exhibit 77. 2030 PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for South 56th Street and 

South Washington Street
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 118 Transportation Discipline Report

Exhibit 78. 2030 Queues and Storage at South 56th Street and South Tacoma Way

Street Movement

Storage

(feet)

Peak

Hour

Average 

Queues (feet)

Maximum 

Queues (feet)

No

Action Build

No

Action Build

South 56th Street EB Left 50 AM 7 7 69 70

PM 21 21 135 135

EB Through 225 I/S AM 24 25 180 B 201 B

PM 66 68 315 B 325 B

EB Right Shared AM 24 25 180 B 201 B

PM 20 21 227 B 237 B

South 56th Street WB Left 50 AM 11 11 101 101

PM 30 29 291 309

WB Through 225 I/S AM 25 25 199 B 199 B

PM 85 86 331 B 328 B

WB Right Shared AM 4 4 127 B 127 B

PM 41 43 259 B 256 B

South Tacoma

Way

NB Left 100 AM 20 20 165 165

PM 15 15 139 135

NB Through 600 I/S AM 34 34 183 B 183 B

PM 51 51 258 B 250 B

NB Right Shared AM 3 3 108 B 108 B

PM 13 13 183 B 174 B

South Tacoma

Way

SB Left 125 AM 5 5 77 78

PM 8 8 94 102

SB Through 600 I/S AM 27 27 144 B 144 B

PM 78 77 368 B 360 B

SB Right Shared AM 0 0 46 46

PM 24 24 272 B 264 B

Storage distances estimated to the nearest 25 feet.

IS Distance to next upstream roadway.

RR Distance reported to upstream railroad crossing.

_ Queue extends beyond lane storage.

B Blocks access to turn pocket or channelized right-turn.
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 119

Exhibit 79. 2030 AM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for South 56th Street and 

South Tacoma Way
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 120 Transportation Discipline Report

Exhibit 80. 2030 PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for South 56th Street and 

South Tacoma Way
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 121

Exhibit 81. 2030 Queues and Storage at South 56th Street and South Puget Sound 

Avenue

Street Movement

Storage

(feet)

Peak

Hour

Average 

Queues (feet)

Maximum 

Queues (feet)

No

Action Build

No

Action Build

South 56th Street EB Left Shared AM 0 0 29 29

PM 1 1 47 54

EB Through 225 I/S AM 7 7 217 236

PM 31 33 357 358

EB Right Shared AM 2 2 159 178

PM 19 20 291 292

South 56th Street WB Left Shared AM 1 1 44 44

PM 2 2 62 60

WB Through 200 I/S AM 5 5 106 106

PM 11 11 174 169

WB Right Shared AM 0 0 38 37

PM 1 1 105 95

South Puget

Sound Avenue

NB Left 50 AM 1 1 32 32

PM 3 3 46 47

NB Through 600 I/S AM 9 9 98 B 98 B

PM 16 16 157 B 157 B

NB Right Shared AM 1 1 56 B 56 B

PM 4 4 115 B 115 B

South Puget

Sound Avenue

SB Left 50 AM 2 2 43 43

PM 9 9 102 102

SB Through 600 I/S AM 5 5 65 B 65 B

PM 14 14 131 B 131 B

SB Right Shared AM 0 0 17 17

PM 1 1 82 B 82 B

Storage distances estimated to the nearest 25 feet.

IS Distance to next upstream roadway.

RR Distance reported to upstream railroad crossing.

_ Queue extends beyond lane storage.

B Blocks access to turn pocket or channelized right-turn.
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 122 Transportation Discipline Report

Exhibit 82. 2030 AM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for South 56th Street and 

South Puget Sound Avenue
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 123

Exhibit 83. 2030 PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for South 56th Street and 

South Puget Sound Avenue
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 124 Transportation Discipline Report

Exhibit 84. 2030 Queues and Storage at South 74th Street and South Tacoma Way

Street Movement

Storage

(feet)

Peak

Hour

Average Queues

(feet)

Maximum Queues

(feet)

No

Action Build

No

Action Build

South 74th Street EB Left 150 AM 18 18 129 129

PM 23 54 138 138

EB Through 350 RR AM 100 98 415 B 415 B

PM 111 111 416 B 416 B

EB Right Shared AM 46 45 324 B 324 B

PM 52 54 325 B 325 B

South 74th Street WB Left 150 AM 38 46 213 261

PM 49 56 283 304

WB Through 250 I/S AM 59 63 307 B 362 B

PM 83 83 378 B 384 B

WB Right Shared AM 16 19 217 B 272 B

PM 31 31 289 B 295 B

South Tacoma

Way

NB Left 225 AM 73 77 331 342

PM 71 73 301 304

NB Through 1850 I/S AM 49 49 270 B 268 B

PM 57 58 316 B 325 B

NB Right 125 AM 0 0 1 1

PM 0 0 34 28

South Tacoma

Way

SB Left 175 AM 13 13 104 105

PM 39 40 256 287

SB Through 575 I/S AM 36 36 184 B 179 B

PM 119 128 487 B 533 B

SB Right Shared AM 30 30 180 B 174 B

PM 115 124 484 B 529 B

Storage distances estimated to the nearest 25 feet.

IS Distance to next upstream roadway.

RR Distance reported to upstream railroad crossing.

_ Queue extends beyond lane storage.

B Blocks access to turn pocket or channelized right-turn.
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 125

Exhibit 85. 2030 AM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for South 74th Street and 

South Tacoma Way
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 126 Transportation Discipline Report

Exhibit 86. 2030 PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for South 74th Street and 

South Tacoma Way
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 127

Exhibit 87. 2030 Queues and Storage at North Thorne Lane Southwest and Union 

Avenue Southwest

Street Movement

Storage

(feet)

Peak

Hour

Average Queues

(feet)

Maximum Queues

(feet)

No

Action Build

No

Action Build

North Thorne Lane 

Southwest

EB Through 250 I/S AM 14 24 151 184

PM 39 27 227 190

EB Right Shared AM 3 10 98 148

PM 14 12 174 154

North Thorne Lane 

Southwest

WB Left Shared AM 0 2 24 62

PM 1 3 31 77

WB Through 150 RR AM 0 2 24 62

PM 1 3 31 77

Union Avenue

Southwest

NB Left 600 I/S AM 4 48 110 B 266 B

PM 1,109 B 1,176 B 1,345 B 1,397 B

NB Right 50 AM 15 51 165 264

PM 1162 1,175 1,399 1,396

Storage distances estimated to the nearest 25 feet.

I/S Distance to next upstream intersection.

RR Distance reported to upstream railroad crossing.

_ Queue extends beyond lane storage.

B Blocks access to turn pocket or channelized right-turn.
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 128 Transportation Discipline Report

Exhibit 88. 2030 AM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for North Thorne Lane 

Southwest and Union Avenue Southwest
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 129

Exhibit 89. 2030 PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for North Thorne Lane 

Southwest and Union Avenue Southwest
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 130 Transportation Discipline Report

Exhibit 90. 2030 Queues and Storage at North Thorne Lane Southwest and I-5 

Southbound Ramps

Street Movement

Storage

(feet)

Peak

Hour

Average Queues

(feet)

Maximum Queues

(feet)

No

Action Build

No

Action Build

North Thorne Lane 

Southwest

EB Through 100 I/S AM 109 2 208 46

PM 132 2 200 82

EB Right 100 I/S AM 109 2 208 46

PM 132 2 200 82

North Thorne Lane 

Southwest

WB Left Shared AM 9 59 95 274

PM 3 6 45 220

WB Through 175 I/S AM 9 59 95 274

PM 3 6 45 220

I-5 SB Off-Ramp SB Left Shared AM 786 B 381 B 1,717 B 1,587 B

PM 245 149 1,018 B 745 B

SB Through 1700 I/S AM 786 B 381 B 1,717 B 1,587 B

PM 245 149 1,018 B 745 B

SB Right 300 AM 808 381 1,743 1,587

PM 269 149 1,047 745

Storage distances estimated to the nearest 25 feet.

I/S Distance to next upstream roadway.

RR Distance reported to upstream railroad crossing.

_ Queue extends beyond lane storage.

B Blocks access to turn pocket or channelized right-turn.
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 131

Exhibit 91. 2030 AM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for North Thorne Lane 

Southwest and I-5 Southbound Ramps
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 132 Transportation Discipline Report

Exhibit 92. 2030 PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for North Thorne Lane 

Southwest and I-5 Southbound Ramps
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 133

Exhibit 93. 2030 Queues and Storage at North Thorne Lane Southwest and I-5 

Northbound Ramps

Street Movement

Storage

(feet)

Peak

Hour

Average 

Queues (feet)

Maximum Queues

(feet)

No

Action Build

No

Action Build

North Thorne Lane 

Southwest

EB Left 175 I/S AM 2 3 38 160

PM 5 30 53 266

EB Through 175 I/S AM 2 3 38 160

PM 5 30 53 266

North Thorne Lane 

Southwest

WB Through 725 I/S AM 876 B 831 B 1,199 B 1,198 B

PM 427 B 214 B 1,188 B 1,159 B

WB Right 200 AM 876 831 1,199 1,198

PM 427 214 1,188 1,159

I-5 NB Off-Ramp NB Left Shared AM 93 92 366 B 357 B

PM 790 B 752 B 1184 B 1,184 B

NB Through 1150 I/S AM 93 92 366 B 357 B

PM 790 B 752 B 1,184 B 1,184 B

NB Right 325 AM 107 105 379 368

PM 803 752 1,197 1,184

Storage distances estimated to the nearest 25 feet.

I/S Distance to next upstream roadway.

RR Distance reported to upstream railroad crossing.

_ Queue extends beyond lane storage.

B Blocks access to turn pocket or channelized right-turn.
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 134 Transportation Discipline Report

Exhibit 94. 2030 AM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for North Thorne Lane 

Southwest and I-5 Northbound Ramps
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 135

Exhibit 95. 2030 PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for North Thorne Lane 

Southwest and I-5 Northbound Ramps
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 136 Transportation Discipline Report

Exhibit 96. 2030 Queues and Storage at Berkeley Street Southwest and Union 

Avenue Southwest

Street Movement

Storage

(feet)

Peak

Hour

Average 

Queues (feet)

Maximum 

Queues

(feet)

No

Action Build

No

Action Build

Berkeley Street 

Southwest

EB Left Shared AM 93 47 345 231

PM 85 31 550 222

EB 

Through

450 I/S AM 93 47 345 231

PM 93 31 562 222

EB Right Shared AM 93 42 345 227

PM 85 27 550 217

Berkeley Street 

Southwest

WB Left Shared AM 43 1 237 B 55

PM 34 16 239 B 203 B

WB 

Through

100 RR AM 43 1 237 B 55

PM 34 16 239 B 203 B

WB Right 75 AM 43 1 237 55

PM 34 16 239 203

Militia Drive NB Left Shared AM 4 22 64 B 111 B

PM 69 B 156 B 453 B 546 B

NB 

Through

575 I/S AM 4 22 64 B 111 B

PM 69 B 156 B 453 B 546 B

NB Right 50 AM 8 22 77 111

PM 78 156 466 546

Union Avenue 

Southwest

SB Left 575 I/S AM 463 B 338 B 1,159 B 932 B

PM 323 88 1,049 B 380 B

SB 

Through

100 AM 463 338 1,159 932

PM 323 88 1,049 380

SB Right Shared AM 463 312 1,159 905

PM 323 65 1,049 353

Storage distances estimated to the nearest 25 feet.

IS Distance to next upstream roadway.

RR Distance reported to upstream railroad crossing.

_ Queue extends beyond lane storage.

B Blocks access to turn pocket or channelized right-turn.
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 137

Exhibit 97. 2030 AM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for Berkeley Street 

Southwest and Union Avenue Southwest
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 138 Transportation Discipline Report

Exhibit 98. 2030 PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for Berkeley Street 

Southwest and Union Avenue Southwest
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 139

Exhibit 99. 2030 Queues and Storage at Berkeley Street Southwest and I-5 

Southbound Ramps

Street Movement

Storage

(feet)

Peak

Hour

Average 

Queues (feet)

Maximum 

Queues (feet)

No

Action Build

No

Action Build

Berkeley Street

Southwest

EB Through 100 I/S AM 160 1 267 71

PM 177 1 293 82

EB Right 100 I/S AM 181 1 291 65

PM 198 2 317 76

Berkeley Street

Southwest

WB Left Shared AM 9 22 165 237

PM 3 17 167 243

WB 

Through

175 I/S AM 9 24 165 237

PM 4 18 167 243

I-5 SB Off-Ramp SB Left Shared AM 370 381 1,476 B 1,530 B

PM 104 124 430 B 448 B

SB Through 1100 I/S AM Not 

listed

Not 

listed

Not 

listed

Not 

listed

PM Not 

listed

Not 

listed

Not 

listed

Not 

listed

SB Right 300 AM 371 382 1,477 1,531

PM 101 125 431 449

Storage distances estimated to the nearest 25 feet.

I/S Distance to next upstream roadway.

RR Distance reported to upstream railroad crossing.

_ Queue extends beyond lane storage.

B Blocks access to turn pocket or channelized right-turn.
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 140 Transportation Discipline Report

Exhibit 100. 2030 AM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for Berkeley Street 

Southwest and I-5 Southbound Ramps
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 141

Exhibit 101. 2030 PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for Berkeley Street 

Southwest and I-5 Southbound Ramps
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 142 Transportation Discipline Report

Exhibit 102. 2030 Queues and Storage at Berkeley Street Southwest and I-5 

Northbound Ramps

Street Movement

Storage

(feet)

Peak

Hour

Average 

Queues (feet)

Maximum 

Queues (feet)

No

Action Build

No

Action Build

Berkeley Street

Southwest

EB Left Shared AM 0 3 3 137

PM 0 14 0 200

EB Through 175 I/S AM 0 3 3 137

PM 0 14 0 200

Berkeley Street

Southwest

WB Through 2,225 I/S AM 153 160 642 546

PM 222 370 1,416 1,697

WB Right Shared AM 143 151 666 573

PM 209 365 1,439 1,722

I-5 NB Off-Ramp NB Left Shared AM 147 123 705 B 674 B

PM 98 102 457 B 413 B

NB Through 1,150 I/S AM Not 

listed

Not 

listed

Not 

listed

Not 

listed

PM Not 

listed

Not 

listed

Not 

listed

Not 

listed

NB Right 375 AM 0 0 1 14

PM 0 0 0 0

Storage distances estimated to the nearest 25 feet.

I/S Distance to next upstream roadway.

RR Distance reported to upstream railroad crossing.

_ Queue extends beyond lane storage.

B Blocks access to turn pocket or channelized right-turn.
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 143

Exhibit 103. 2030 AM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for Berkeley Street 

Southwest and I-5 Northbound Ramps
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 144 Transportation Discipline Report

Exhibit 104. 2030 PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for Berkeley Street 

Southwest and I-5 Northbound Ramps
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 145

Exhibit 105. 2030 Queues and Storage at 41st Division Drive and I-5 Southbound 

Ramps

Street Movement

Storage

(feet)

Peak

Hour

Average 

Queues (feet)

Maximum 

Queues (feet)

No

Action Build

No

Action Build

41st Division

Drive

EB Through 2,200 I/S AM 0 1 5 158

PM 81 110 468 670

EB Right Shared AM 0 1 5 158

PM 81 110 468 670

41st Division

Drive

WB Through 500 I/S AM 427 475 1,284 1,293

PM 0 1 0 134

WB Right Shared AM 239 309 913 975

PM 0 0 0 0

I-5 SB Off-Ramp NB Right (Loop) 1,150 I/S AM 257 261 1,782 1,742

PM 0 0 34 16

SB Right 1,350 I/S AM 78 92 642 680

PM 0 0 0 17

Storage distances estimated to the nearest 25 feet.

IS Distance to next upstream roadway.

RR Distance reported to upstream railroad crossing.

_ Queue extends beyond lane storage.

B Blocks access to turn pocket or channelized right-turn.

Exhibit 106. 2030 Queues and Storage at 41st Division Drive and I-5 Northbound 

Ramps

Street Movement

Storage

(feet)

Peak

Hour

Average 

Queues (feet)

Maximum 

Queues (feet)

No

Action Build

No

Action Build

41st Division

Drive

EB Through 500 I/S AM 2 1 119 106 B

PM 123 117 448 B 434 B

EB Right Shared AM 2 1 119 106

PM 123 117 448 434

41st Division

Drive

WB Through 1,450 I/S AM 21 96 354 673

PM 1,773 1,758 2,163 2,163

WB Right Shared AM 21 96 354 673

PM 1,773 1,758 2,163 2,163

I-5 NB Off-Ramp NB Right 1,200 I/S AM 491 484 1,905 1,904

PM 0 0 0 0

SB Right (Loop) 1,100 I/S AM 16 1 151 23

PM 0 0 0 0

Storage distances estimated to the nearest 25 feet.

IS Distance to next upstream roadway.

RR Distance reported to upstream railroad crossing.

_ Queue extends beyond lane storage.

B Blocks access to turn pocket or channelized right-turn.
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 146 Transportation Discipline Report

Exhibit 107. 2030 AM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for 41st Division Drive 

and I-5 Ramps
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 147

Exhibit 108. 2030 PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for 41st Division Drive 

and I-5 Ramps
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 148 Transportation Discipline Report

Exhibit 109. 2030 Queues and Storage at Barksdale Avenue and Steilacoom-DuPont 

Road Southwest/ Wilmington Drive

Street Movement

Storage

(feet)

Peak

Hour

Average 

Queues (feet)

Maximum 

Queues (feet)

No

Action Build

No

Action Build

Barksdale Avenue EB Left 35 AM 15 13 111 97

PM 13 6 96 86

EB Through 700 I/S AM 15 13 111 B 97 B

PM 13 6 96 B 86 B

EB Right Shared AM 3 2 85 B 71 B

PM 2 1 69 B 60 B

Barksdale Avenue WB Left 125 AM 21 38 211 218

PM 34 25 206 221

WB Through 250 RR AM 21 38 211 218

PM 34 25 206 221

WB Right 175 AM 12 22 229 215

PM 21 21 228 244

Wilmington Drive NB Left 75 AM 9 8 99 87

PM 17 31 132 181

NB Through 2,175 I/S AM 9 8 99 B 87 B

PM 17 31 132 B 181 B

NB Right 125 AM 2 2 84 89

PM 2 20 124 184

SteilacoomDuPont Road

Southwest

SB Left 350 AM 114 115 525 498

PM 187 142 659 544

SB Through 625 I/S AM 114 115 525 B 498 B

PM 187 142 659 B 544 B

SB Right Shared AM 84 86 482 B 455 B

PM 153 108 616 B 501 B

Storage distances estimated to the nearest 25 feet.

IS Distance to next upstream roadway.

RR Distance reported to upstream railroad crossing.

_ Queue extends beyond lane storage.

B Blocks access to turn pocket or channelized right-turn.
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 149

Exhibit 110. 2030 AM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for Barksdale Avenue 

and Steilacoom-DuPont Road Southwest/Wilmington Drive
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 150 Transportation Discipline Report

Exhibit 111. 2030 PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for Barksdale Avenue 

and Steilacoom-DuPont Road Southwest/Wilmington Drive
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 151

Exhibit 112. 2030 Queues and Storage at Barksdale and I-5 Southbound Ramps

Street Movement

Storage

(feet)

Peak

Hour

Average 

Queues (feet)

Maximum 

Queues (feet)

No

Action Build

No

Action Build

Barksdale Avenue EB Through 50 RR AM 25 0 214 2

PM 65 0 254 12

EB Right 275 AM 0 0 68 0

PM 0 0 25 0

Barksdale Avenue WB Left Shared AM 30 5 285 206

PM 12 19 275 336

WB Through 225 I/S AM 31 6 285 206

PM 13 20 275 336

I-5 SB Off-Ramp SB Left Shared AM 31 37 222 252

PM 22 22 220 234

SB Through 1,350 I/S AM 31 37 222 252

PM 22 22 220 234

SB Right 500 AM 7 11 199 226

PM 18 19 238 248

Storage distances estimated to the nearest 25 feet.

I/S Distance to next upstream roadway.

RR Distance reported to upstream railroad crossing.

_ Queue extends beyond lane storage.

B Blocks access to turn pocket or channelized right-turn.
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 152 Transportation Discipline Report

Exhibit 113. 2030 AM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for Barksdale Avenue 

and I-5 Southbound Ramps
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 153

Exhibit 114. 2030 PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for Barksdale Avenue 

and I-5 Southbound Ramps
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 154 Transportation Discipline Report

Exhibit 115. 2030 Queues and Storage at Barksdale Avenue/Locust Road and 

I-5 Northbound Ramps

Street Movement

Storage

(feet)

Peak

Hour

Average 

Queues (feet)

Maximum

Queues (feet)

No

Action Build

No

Action Build

Barksdale Avenue EB Left 225 I/S AM 73 32 300 214

PM 109 82 298 284

EB Through 225 I/S AM 73 32 300 214

PM 109 82 298 284

Locust Road WB Through 1,025 I/S AM 100 88 490 489

PM 641 643 1,666 1,651

WB Right 1,025 I/S AM 74 64 481 478

PM 614 629 1,678 1,661

I-5 NB Off-Ramp NB Left Shared AM 394 393 1,337 B 1,464 B

PM 120 102 541 489

NB Through 1,600 AM 351 351 1,285 B 1,413 B

PM 120 66 541 438

NB Right 600 AM 351 351 1,285 1,413

PM 84 66 491 438

Storage distances estimated to the nearest 25 feet.

IS Distance to next upstream roadway.

RR Distance reported to upstream railroad crossing.

_ Queue extends beyond lane storage.

B Blocks access to turn pocket or channelized right-turn.
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 155

Exhibit 116. 2030 AM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for Barksdale 

Avenue/Locust Road and I-5 Northbound Ramps
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 156 Transportation Discipline Report

Exhibit 117. 2030 PM Peak Hour Maximum Queue Lengths for Barksdale 

Avenue/Locust Road and I-5 Northbound Ramps

Build Alternative Queue Lengths

In 2030, queue lengths at study area intersections are anticipated to 

increase slightly with the addition of Amtrak Cascades service. The road 

closure time for a train crossing would be similar to crossing closures for

Sounder trains (approximately one minute or less when at a crossing not 

near a station). Intersections south of Lakewood would have both Amtrak 

and freight service.

The anticipated maximum queue length increase would be approximately 

two to four more vehicles compared to the No Build Alternative because 

of signal control system enhancements incorporated into the Project. This 

minor increase indicates that study area intersections are affected slightly 

by the additional train crossing event during the morning and evening 
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 157

peak hour commute time periods. At some study area locations, the queue 

length, when compared to the No Build Alternative, would be reduced 

because signal improvements needed for safety would also optimize the 

movement of vehicle travel parallel to the railroad tracks. These signal 

improvements, which would install more advanced devices to control 

intersections, would reduce the delay and vehicle queues at improved 

intersections to better than No Build conditions.

With the proposed improvements, the change in maximum queue lengths 

at improved intersections would shift somewhat but result in similar 

overall queuing in the areas around the railroad crossings during the peakhour commute periods for the Build Alternative compared to the No Build

Alternative (see Exhibit 72 through Exhibit 117). 

Overall, one additional intersection would be blocked by maximum 

queues from the Build Alternative when compared to the No Build

Alternative: South Washington Street and South 51st Street in the City of 

Tacoma during the PM peak hour. However, the street grid nearby would 

allow drivers to make slight adjustments to their routes to minimize the 

effect of this queue. Additionally, recent information indicates the overall 

gates-down time for Sounder trains would be longer than the gates-down 

time for Amtrak trains, which would likely create a longer maximum 

queue that would occur with the No Build Alternative and Build 

Alternative.

Time to Recover from Train Crossing Events

The time for the local street system to recover from a train crossing event 

depends on the number of vehicles affected by the train event, the 

roadway geometrics (i.e., number of traffic lanes, intersection spacing),

and how the traffic signals manage the roadway. Closely spaced 

intersections can usually communicate with one another to optimize 

vehicle flow between them; this is called traffic signal coordination and 

minimizes intersection delay and queuing. Train events disrupt this signal 

coordination (similar to emergency vehicles) because movements across 

the railroad tracks are usually stopped, especially when the intersection is 

close to the railroad tracks. Generally, traffic signal coordination recovers 

from train events in one to two signal cycles.

Intersections at or nearing their vehicle capacity (already congested prior 

to a train crossing event) can be greatly affected by train events. Under the 

No Build and Build alternatives, vehicle queue lengths are expected to 

return to their typical queue lengths approximately three signal cycles 

(approximately five minutes) after a passenger train event. During this 

recovery period, delays for vehicles in queue approaching the railroad 

crossing are higher than during the rest of the peak hour. However, this is 

also balanced by other traffic movements moving away from or parallel to 
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 158 Transportation Discipline Report

the crossing experiencing less delay because the signals would remain 

green for those movements.

As illustrated in Exhibit 118, the number of vehicles stopped at the 

railroad crossing and adjacent intersections changes throughout the 

morning and afternoon peak hour commutes. Train crossings would cause 

the number of vehicles waiting to increase slightly and then queues return 

to normal levels shortly after the roadway is reopened.

Exhibit 118. Example Effect of Train Crossing on Queue Lengths

How would the Project affect pedestrian travel?

The Build Alternative would improve sidewalks at the following railroad 

crossings:

• North Thorne Lane Southwest

• Berkeley Street Southwest

• Barksdale Avenue

The Build Alternative would have an additional train crossing during the 

peak hour of the morning and afternoon commute, which could delay 

pedestrians by approximately one minute. This delay would be the same

whenever a train crosses throughout the day.

How would the Project affect bicycle travel?

The Build Alternative would have an additional train crossing during the 

peak hour of the morning and afternoon commute, which could delay 

bicyclists by approximately one minute. This delay would be the same 

whenever a train crosses throughout the day.
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 159

How would the Project affect airport and aviation facilities?

The Build Alternative proposes improvements within a 2-mile radius of 

the JBLM air field, but would not construct new roadway or transportation 

structures within its airspace.

How would the Project affect parking?

Parking in the study area would be largely unaffected by the Build 

Alternative. Locally around Freighthouse Square, there would be a change 

to parking (see Parking under How would the new Tacoma Amtrak Station 

location affect pedestrian connections, parking, and traffic operations?).

How would the Project affect transportation during 

construction?

The Project would construct a new second track adjacent to the existing 

main line between South Tacoma and Lakewood, improve safety at some 

existing at-grade crossings, and relocate the existing Tacoma Amtrak 

Station to the Tacoma Dome at Freighthouse Square in Tacoma. FRA and 

WSDOT expect construction to take approximately 24 months, but 

construction activity at most individual locations would take substantially 

less time.

Effect of Construction Traffic on the Transportation Network

Most of the Project construction vehicles would haul dirt and materials to 

and from the construction sites. Construction vehicles would increase 

traffic delay in the study area during the construction period. The truck 

routes would not be known until a construction contract is signed, but 

FRA and WSDOT anticipate the majority of construction vehicles would 

use I-5 and major arterials.

Temporary lane closures and occasional weekend road closures would be 

required to rebuild the track across the Clover Creek Drive Southwest, 

North Thorne Lane Southwest, Berkeley Street Southwest, 41st Division 

Drive, and Barksdale Avenue roadways. This action would minimize the 

effect on the morning and afternoon commute periods, but would cause an 

increase in travel times during those times. Construction activities at 

railroad crossing locations are expected to take two or three weekends per 

location. Traffic control plans for these closures would include signage 

and prior notice to alert local and I-5 drivers of the work and to allow 

coordination with local authorities. Work on adjacent local roadways to 

widen lanes, improve vertical alignments, relocate utilities, etc., would

require localized lane restrictions or closures for a few hours at a time.
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 160 Transportation Discipline Report

Effect of Construction Activities on Rail Travel

During construction, it is anticipated the existing railroad along the Project

would be out of service for up to four days per week for up to 15 months. 

These service outages would be determined through discussions with rail 

companies to minimize disruptions to freight rail customers. This

determination would allow free access to Project work areas. During 

construction of the Lakewood-to-Tacoma rail section, the closure would 

not affect Sounder trains running on the adjacent track because

connections between the second track and the existing track would be

made when Sounder trains are not operating. Also, Tacoma Rail freight 

service would be rerouted to available Tacoma Rail tracks.

Relocation of the existing crossing warning systems at Clover Creek Drive 

Southwest, North Thorne Lane Southwest, Berkeley Street Southwest, 41st

Division Drive, and Barksdale Avenue would cause many of the crossing 

signal warning systems to be out of service until the new warning system

is installed. This would require the freight trains to stop at locations where 

signal systems are temporarily out of service during construction, 

however, FRA and WSDOT will coordinate with Tacoma Rail to 

minimize this effect. These crossings would be manually controlled by 

construction traffic management personnel to control train, vehicle, and 

non-motorized traffic. This action would not delay freight trains because 

they travel at only about 10 mph, often stopping before proceeding 

through the five crossings to allow vehicles to clear the crossing.

Effect of Construction Activities on Non-Motorized Transportation

Temporary lane closures and occasional weekend road closures would be 

required to rebuild track crossings in the communities of Lakewood and 

DuPont. Construction activities at railroad crossing locations are expected 

to take two or three weekends per location. Bicycle traffic would follow 

posted detour routes consistent with motor vehicle traffic detours. 

Pedestrians would follow posted detours for safe routes around 

construction work zones. Traffic control plans for these closures would

include signage and prior notice to alert local non-motorized travelers of 

the work and to allow coordination with local authorities. Work on 

adjacent local roadways to widen lanes, improve vertical alignments, 

relocate utilities, etc., would require localized lane restrictions or closures 

for a few hours at a time.

Effect of Construction Activities on Parking and Transit

Staging and stockpiling sites for storing construction materials would

occur within railroad right-of-way and therefore would not affect local 

parking. During construction for the remodeling of Freighthouse Square to

accommodate a new Amtrak station, adjacent local parking areas may be 
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 161

used to stage equipment and/or materials. Parking spaces used for 

equipment staging or materials storage may require motorists to 

temporarily park at a greater distance from their destination.

Existing transit routes would be affected by the temporary lane closures 

and occasional weekend road closures necessary to construct the project. 

Traffic control plans for these closures would include signage and prior 

notice to alert transit agencies of the work. Construction on adjacent local 

roadways to widen lanes, improve vertical alignments, relocate utilities, 

etc., would require localized lane restrictions or closures for a few hours at 

a time. Transit service at Freighthouse Square may be affected if adjacent 

parking is reconfigured or is used for equipment staging or materials 

storage.

What are the indirect effects of the Project?

The only potential indirect effect tied to the Project is that it may 

indirectly influence limited redevelopment near the relocated Amtrak 

Station at Freighthouse Square (see Land Use Discipline Report33). Such 

redevelopment would be consistent with local land use and zoning 

regulations, and could include the addition of commercial businesses. 

Redevelopment could attract additional vehicle traffic to the Freighthouse 

Square area. This increase in traffic could have a minor indirect effect on 

the transportation resources in the area.

What are the cumulative effects of the Project?

The traffic analysis conducted for the Project, specifically the 

I-5/Lakewood travel demand model, includes existing traffic conditions 

and reasonably foreseeable future transportation projects in the area that 

would affect traffic conditions. By including existing traffic and the 

effects of planned transportation projects in the development of traffic 

forecasts, the Project team was able to assess cumulative effects of the 

Project on traffic. The following identifies the planned transportation 

projects that, when considered with the existing conditions and the Project, 

would improve traffic conditions in the Project area. Therefore, the Build 

Alternative, when considered with the reasonably foreseeable future 

actions, would not result in significant cumulative effects on 

transportation.

Cross-Base Highway

The Cross-Base Highway would construct a new 4-lane, limited-access 

highway between the I-5/North Thorne Lane Southwest interchange and 

SR 7 in Spanaway. This Project is a proposed regional connector to 

 33 WSDOT 2012c.
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 162 Transportation Discipline Report

improve mobility in Pierce County, but is not currently funded. If the 

Cross-Base Highway were constructed, the effect on the Project would be 

negligible. LOS was evaluated with and without the Cross-Base Highway 

and generally improved when compared with the Build Alternative, 

although a few intersections did worsen slightly in delay, but not to 

substandard levels. Exhibit 119 summarizes the LOS results with the 

Cross-Base Highway.

Exhibit 119. Future 2030 Level of Service with Cross-Base Highway and Project 

Alternatives

Study Intersection

No Build

Alternative

AM Peak Hour

Build

Alternative

AM Peak Hour

No Build

Alternative

PM Peak Hour

Build

Alternative

PM Peak Hour

Name

Traffic

Signal LOS

Average

Delay

(seconds

per

vehicle) LOS

Average

Delay

(seconds

per 

vehicle) LOS

Average 

Delay

(seconds 

per 

vehicle) LOS

Average

Delay

(seconds

per 

vehicle)

Bridgeport Way 

Southwest and

Pacific Highway 

Southwest

X N/A Not 

studied

C 20.6 N/A Not 

studied

C 22.8

Bridgeport Way 

Southwest and

I-5 Southbound Ramps

X N/A Not 

studied

B 11.1 N/A Not 

studied

B 13.9

Bridgeport Way 

Southwest and

I-5 Northbound Ramps

X N/A Not 

studied

B 15.0 N/A Not 

studied

B 17.5

Berkeley Street 

Southwest and

Union Avenue Southwest

In 2030 

Build

F 81.1 E 57.3 F 179.9 D 42.4

Berkeley Street 

Southwest and

I-5 Southbound Ramps

X D 43.6 C 35.0 C 24.3 B 18.1

Berkeley Street 

Southwest and

I-5 Northbound Ramps

X C 25.4 C 20.3 C 22.9 C 29.9

41st Division Drive and

I-5 Southbound Ramps

C 32.5 C 22.8 B 12.3 B 14.8

41st Division Drive and

I-5 Northbound Ramps

B 18.8 B 19.9 F 100.7 F 101.3

Barksdale Avenue and

DuPont-Steilacoom Road

X B 19.7 C 23.9 C 23.1 D 41.0

Barksdale Avenue and

I-5 Southbound Ramps

X B 12.0 A 8.1 B 16.9 A 7.6

Barksdale Avenue/

Locust Road and

I-5 Northbound Ramps

X E 58.7 D 54.8 D 52.9 E 57.9

Key to LOS and Delay Mark-Ups:

X Build Alternative conditions are better than the No Build Alternative.

_ Build Alternative conditions are worse than the No Build Alternative.
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 163

Berkeley Street Freedom Bridge Improvements

In November 2011, the City of Lakewood received a $5.7 million grant 

from the U.S. Department of Defense to improve Freedom Bridge, which 

connects Berkeley Street Southwest over I-5. The improvements would 

add one lane on the bridge. As a result, access to Madigan Army Medical 

Center and overall traffic conditions would improve. With both the No 

Build and Build alternatives, traffic operations would be expected to 

improve with the Freedom Bridge improvement. The Project would not 

contribute to a cumulative effect with the bridge improvements.

Relocation of Camp Murray Gate

The Washington Military Department has described a plan to relocate the 

Main Gate from the Berkeley Street Southwest interchange (referred to as 

Main Gate) to the North Thorne Lane Southwest interchange (referred to 

as Camp Murray). This gate relocation would divert traffic away from 

roadways connecting to the Berkeley Street Southwest interchange to 

roadways connecting to North Thorne Lane Southwest. Traffic congestion 

would decrease around Berkeley Street Southwest and Main Gate and 

increase around the North Thorne Lane Southwest interchange and Camp 

Murray gate. This is documented in the technical memorandum titled 

Camp Murray Gate Relocation Transportation Analysis – Comparison of 

Options, dated February 17, 2011. With the signal upgrades included with 

the Project, options would be improved to manage congestion related to 

queuing at the North Thorne Lane Southwest interchange.

Other Reasonably Foreseeable Future Transportation Projects

FRA and WSDOT examined Puget Sound Regional Council’s current 

program, which includes many preservation projects (also known as “state 

of good repair”) and the funded improvement projects in the state 

transportation improvement program (STIP). Reasonably foreseeable 

future projects are listed below (Exhibit 120).

Exhibit 120: Transportation Related Projects – Current and Reasonably 

Foreseeable34

Pedestrian and Transit Improvements Responsible Entity

Dower Elementary Safe Route to School - Construct curb, gutter and 

sidewalk, flashing pedestrian signal, and two marked crosswalks on John 

Dower Rd. 

Lakewood

ADA Service - Provide complementary ADA service for disabled patrons in 

Pierce County

Pierce Transit

Lakewood Station Connection - Construct pedestrian crossing of rail road 

tracks, bus stop facilities, and bus turn around.

Lakewood

Tacoma/Lakewood Commuter Rail Project - Design and construct stations, 

parking, bus/transfer, pedestrian, and bike facilities; grade separated 

crossing at Pacific Ave. and S. 26th St.; complete environmental 

documentation. 

Sound Transit

 34 WSDOT 2012a, PSRC 2011, and WSDOT 2012b
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 164 Transportation Discipline Report

Pedestrian and Transit Improvements Responsible Entity

Tacoma Link Expansion Project - FTA Small Starts alternatives analysis 

for Link service expansion in downtown Tacoma, conceptual engineering 

and NEPA Scoping. 

Sound Transit

Local Roadway Improvements

Gravelly Lake Drive - Construct curb, gutter and sidewalk, street lighting, 

upgrade signals and ADA ramps on both sides of Gravelly Lake Drive 

between 100th St. and Bridgeport Way.

Lakewood

Madigan Access Improvement - Construct roadway, bridge, ramp and 

signal modifications to improve safety from Berkeley St. to Union Ave S. 

W. 

Lakewood

Bridgeport Way – Steilacoom Blvd. to 83rd Street S.W. - Widen to provide 

continuous two-way left-turn lane, street lighting, bicycle facilities, storm 

drainage and landscaping. Signalize 86th Street intersection. 

Lakewood

Steilacoom Blvd. – Farwest Dr. to 87th Ave. S. W. - Upgrade traffic signal 

and improve intersection lighting. Upgrade cross-walk and trim vegetation 

to improve sight distance. 

Lakewood

Lakewood Traffic Signal Upgrades Phase 3 – Fiber Interconnect- Provide 

fiber cable interconnect to upgrade signals for ITS.

Lakewood

Regional Roadway Improvements

I-5 DuPont to Lakewood Corridor Planning - Joint Base Lewis-McChord

and cities of Lakewood and DuPont in coordination are submitting grants 

for the Interchange Justification Report and NEPA. $1,001,000 (including 

$630,000 in federal funds, balance in state/local funds)

WSDOT

I-5 SR 510 to SR 512 Mobility Improvements - Construct ITS, strategic 

intersection improvements, hard shoulder running to reduce congestion in 

the vicinity of JBLM. 

WSDOT

I-5 Fort Lewis Congestion Fiber Optics - Extend fiber optic cable from 

Olympia to Thorne Lane to enable ITS project intertie.

WSDOT

I-5 and I-705 and Railroad Crossing SB Seismic Retrofit- Retrofit 

southbound bridge to meet current earthquake standards.

WSDOT

I-5 and I-705 and Railroad Crossing NB Seismic Retrofit - Retrofit 

northbound bridge to meet current earthquake standards.

WSDOT

I-5 M St. to Portland Ave. Northbound Widening and Bridges - Add NB and 

SB HOV lanes to I-5 from M Street to Portland Ave. to I-5. Demolish and 

reconstruct Pacific Ave., McKinley Ave. and L Street overcrossings.

WSDOT

I-5 M St. Bridge Seismic Retrofit - Retrofit bridge to meet current 

earthquake standards.

WSDOT

I-5 Port of Tacoma Rd. to King Co. Line HOV Lanes - Construct HOV 

lanes from MP 136.61 to MP 139.50.

WSDOT

I-5 Portland Ave. to Port of Tacoma Rd Northbound HOV - Construct NB

HOV lanes, new northbound bridges across the Puyallup River, begins 

work to reconstruct I-5/SR 167 interchange and replaces I-5/Portland 

interchange.

WSDOT

I-5 Portland Ave. to Port of Tacoma Rd. Southbound HOV - Construct SB 

HOV lanes, new southbound bridges across the Puyallup River, and 

completes work on the I-5/SR 167 interchange.

WSDOT

I-5 SR 16 Interchange: Rebuild Interchange- Replaces the Nalley Valley 

bridge, reconstructs ramps and structures. Prepares I-5 and SR 16 for 

HOV lanes.

WSDOT

I-5 SR 16 Eastbound Nalley Valley HOV- Reconstruct eastbound Nalley 

Valley interchange, ramps, and structures. Prepares for HOV lanes on I-5 

and SR 16.

WSDOT

I-5 SR 16 Interchange: South to North Ramp Seismic Retrofit - Retrofit 

south to north ramp bridge to meet current earthquake standards.

WSDOT

I-5 SR 510 to SR 512 Mobility Improvements - Construct ITS, strategic 

intersection improvements and hard shoulder running to maximize system 

efficiency.

WSDOT

I-5 Vicinity of Joint Base Lewis McChord: Install Ramp Meters - Install 

ramp meters, cameras, detection loops, stop bars and illumination, 

interconnect cameras to Tacoma TSMC. 

WSDOT

I-5 Vicinity Center Drive - Realign Center Drive and change access control 

to improve JBLM egress

WSDOT 

SR 162 Puyallup River Bd. Replacement - Construct new bridge to replace 

existing structurally deficient bridge...

WSDOT

SR 512 108th St. E. to SR 167 Install Cable Barrier - Upgrade existing 3-

cable median barrier to 4-cable median barrier.

WSDOT
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 165

Pedestrian and Transit Improvements Responsible Entity

Regional Rail Improvements

Vancouver - Rail Yard Bypass Track - Construct new bypass tracks in rail 

yard to allow passenger trains to bypass congestion caused by freight 

trains and new vehicle/pedestrian/bicycle bridge overcrossing.

FRA / WSDOT

Kelso Martins Bluff – Toteff Siding Extension - Extend existing siding one 

and construct overcrossing at Toteff Road.

FRA / WSDOT

Kelso Martins Bluff – New Siding - Construct new and upgrade existing 

siding track to allow freight trains to move on and off of main line at higher 

speeds.

FRA / WSDOT

Kelso Martins Bluff – Kelso to Longview Junction - Construct new track 

segment and upgrade existing track to allow freight and passenger trains 

to pass each other and reduce congestion.

FRA / WSDOT

Seattle – King Street Track Upgrade - Reconfigure main line tracks 

accessing King Street Station to improve passenger train access and 

increase service for Amtrak, Sound Transit, and BNSF. 

FRA / WSDOT

Everett – Storage Track - Construct two new departure/receiving tracks 

parallel to existing delta Yard tracks to eliminate passenger/freight 

conflicts.

FRA / WSDOT

Corridor Reliability Upgrades (South) -Clean ditches and grading to 

improve drainage, cleaning and replacing ballast, replace ties and 

resurface rail as needed to improve track reliability and improve travel 

time.

FRA / WSDOT

Advanced Wayside Signal System -Upgrade advanced signal systems 

components at all control points, sidings and turnouts between the USCanada border and Vancouver, WA.

FRA / WSDOT
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 167

Chapter 6 – Recommended 

Minimization Measures

The Project has been designed to include measures to minimize and 

reduce congestion caused by at-grade rail crossings along the project 

corridor. This chapter describes the minimization efforts that would be 

taken to improve or reduce construction traffic and Project effects.

What measures would be taken to minimize the effects 

during construction?

Improvement of the railroad tracks may temporarily hinder freight activity 

on the rail line. FRA and WSDOT will work with BNSF and Tacoma Rail 

to ensure that freight delivery meets their customers’ needs during 

construction. The Project will use the coordination framework that was 

established during the design and construction of the Sounder commuter 

rail project. 

During construction, stabilized construction entrances will be installed for 

trucks accessing the construction sites in order to protect existing 

roadways and railroad tracks and to minimize the track-out of soil onto 

local roadways.

Improvements to at-grade crossings are likely to result in temporary traffic 

delays and periodic lane and/or access revisions during construction. A 

traffic control plan will be developed that includes (but is not limited to) 

the following measures:

• At least one lane will be kept open at crossings except for a 

short period of time when the new track is being installed 

across the roadway.

• Traffic control personnel and/or traffic control signs will be 

provided at locations where construction activities are 

occurring.

• Detour routes will be provided when roads are closed due to 

track construction.

• A uniformed police officer would manage traffic movements 

when traffic signals are temporarily turned off.

• FRA and WSDOT will coordinate the development of the

traffic control plans with local jurisdictions.
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 168 Transportation Discipline Report

• Local agencies, the public, school districts, emergency 

service providers, and transit agencies would be informed of 

the changes to travel in advance through the media and the 

Project website.

• Pedestrian and bicycle circulation will be maintained as 

much as possible during construction.
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page 169

References

Transpo Group. 2011. Camp Murray Gate Relocation Transportation 

Analysis – Comparison of Options. February 17, 2011.

TRB (Transportation Research Board). 2000. Highway Capacity Manual. 

National Research Council, Washington, D.C. 

US DOT. 2006. Use of Locomotive Horns at Highway-Rail Grade 

Crossings; Final Rule (Parts 222 and 229 of Title 49 of the Code of 

Federal Regulations). Federal Railroad Administration. August 

2006.

US DOT. 2007. Railroad-Highway Grade Crossing Handbook – Revised 

Second Edition 2007. Federal Highway Administration. August 

2007.

WSDOT (Washington State Department of Transportation). 2008. Point 

Defiance Bypass Project Traffic and Transportation Discipline 

Report. Published August 2007, revised March 2008.

WSDOT. 2009. Pacific Northwest Rail Corridor Tier 1 Environmental 

Assessment. Available at: 

http://wadot.wa.gov/Freight/publications/PNWRCReports.htm

WSDOT. 2010a. Existing (September 2010) Traffic Volumes Summary

Technical Memorandum. October 8, 2010.

WSDOT. 2010b. 2010 Noon Peak Model Calibration and Evaluation of 

Proposed Traffic Signal Phasing under 2010 Noon Peak Hour 

Traffic Volumes Technical Memorandum.

WSDOT. 2010c. Existing Conditions Technical Memorandum. November 

19, 2010.

WSDOT. 2010d. I-5 Transportation Alternatives Analysis & Traffic 

Operational Model. September 2010.

WSDOT 2011a. Existing (November 2010) Traffic Volumes Summary –

Revision 1 Technical Memorandum. May 4, 2011.

WSDOT. 2011b. Base Year No-Build Conditions Technical Memorandum 

– Revision 3. May 4, 2011.

WSDOT. 2011c. Base Year Build Conditions Technical Memorandum.

May 4, 2011.

WSDOT. 2011d. Future Year Conditions Technical Memorandum. May 4, 

2011.

WSDOT. 2011e. 2010 Early AM Peak Hour Analysis at the Berkeley 

Street Interchange Area. Findings Paper, March 3, 2011.
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page 170 Transportation Discipline Report

WSDOT. 2011f. Proposed Signal Phasing/Timing and Traffic Operations 

Technical Memorandum (without Cross-Base Highway). March 

31, 2011, Revised April 18, 2011.

WSDOT. 2011g. Proposed Signal Phasing/Timing and Traffic Operations 

Technical Memorandum (with Cross-Base Highway). April 26, 

2011.

WSDOT. 2011h. Point Defiance Bypass – Phase 1 Traffic Analysis 

Methodology and Operational Summary Technical Memorandum. 

July 2011.

WSDOT. 2011i. Grade Separation Concept Evaluation.

WSDOT 2012a. Approved 2012 – 2015 State Transportation 

Improvement Program (STIP); January 2012.

WSDOT 2012b. WSDOT High Speed Rail Program website, accessed 

August 2012 (http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Rail/Projects.htm).

WSDOT 2012C. Point Defiance Bypass Project Land Use Discipline 

Report. September 2012.
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page A-1

Attachment A – LOS Tables

Intersection Level of Service – Existing Year 2010

Study Intersection

2010 AM Peak Hour 

(morning)

2010 PM Peak Hour 

(afternoon)

Name

Traffic

Signal LOS

Average Delay 

(seconds per 

vehicle) LOS

Average Delay

(seconds per 

vehicle)

East “D” Street and East 26th Street X A 8.3 B 10.7

East “D” Street and East 25th Street X A 9.8 B 12.8

East “C” Street and East 26th Street D 26.2 C 15.0

East “C” Street and East 25th Street X B 10.8 A 10.0

South “C” Street and South Tacoma 

Way

B 10.8 B 13.9

South “C” Street and South 25th Street B 13.0 C 18.1

South Chandler Street and South

Tacoma Way

B 10.7 C 15.7

South Chandler Street and Center 

Street

B 13.5 C 24.5

South Alaska Street and South Tacoma 

Way

B 11.1 B 13.3

South Alaska Street and Center Street C 17.8 D 30.9

South Wilkeson Street and South

Tacoma Way

X B 10.3 B 13.3

South Wilkeson Street and Center 

Street 

X B 12.4 C 24.1

South Pine Street and South Tacoma 

Way

X B 14.5 C 26.8

South Pine Street and Center Street X C 21.8 C 32.3

35th Street Southwest and South

Tacoma Way

X A 6.4 B 17.1

35th Street Southwest and South

Lawrence Street

A 9.5 A 9.9

50th Street Southwest and South Adams 

Street

A 8.9 A 9.0

50th Street Southwest and South

Burlington Way

N/A Traffic

Circle

N/A Traffic

Circle

South 56th Street and South Washington 

Street

X A 8.2 B 13.6

South 56th Street and South Adams 

Street/South Burlington Way

A 2.6 A 3.3
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page A-2 Transportation Discipline Report

Intersection Level of Service – Existing Year 2010

Study Intersection

2010 AM Peak Hour 

(morning)

2010 PM Peak Hour 

(afternoon)

Name

Traffic

Signal LOS

Average Delay 

(seconds per 

vehicle) LOS

Average Delay

(seconds per 

vehicle)

South 56th Street and South Tacoma 

Way

X B 18.7 C 24.4

South 56th Street and South Puget 

Sound Avenue

X A 4.8 A 8.0

60th Street Southwest and South

Washington Street

A 9.3 A 9.2

60th Street Southwest and South Adams 

Street

A 9.4 B 10.1

60th Street Southwest and South

Tacoma Way

B 14.9 C 23.7

South 74th Street and South Tacoma 

Way

X C 27.6 D 36.9

Steilacoom Blvd Southwest and

Lakeview Avenue Southwest

X A 6.6 A 9.6

Steilacoom Blvd Southwest and

Durango Street Southwest

C 15.4 B 11.8

100th Street Southwest and Lakeview 

Avenue Southwest

X B 10.5 B 13.1

108th Street Southwest and Lakeview 

Avenue Southwest

X A 8.7 B 11.1

108th Street Southwest and Halcyon 

Road Southwest

A 6.1 A 8.8

Bridgeport Way Southwest and Pacific 

Highway Southwest

X B 19.1 C 21.5

Bridgeport Way Southwest and I-5 

Southbound (SB) Ramps

X B 13.9 A 9.3

Bridgeport Way Southwest and I-5 

Northbound (NB) Ramps

X B 14.0 B 15.4

Clover Creek Drive Southwest and

Hillcrest Drive Southwest

A 9.1 A 9.2

Clover Creek Drive Southwest and

Pacific Highway Southwest

B 10.2 B 11.6

North Thorne Lane Southwest and

Union Avenue Southwest

In 2030 

Build

A 7.6 F 52.4

North Thorne Lane Southwest and I-5 

SB Ramps

X C 26.9 C 25.6

North Thorne Lane Southwest and I-5 

NB Ramps

X C 20.1 B 17.2

Berkeley Street Southwest and Union 

Avenue Southwest

In 2030 

Build

C 22.6 F 72.0

Berkeley Street Southwest and I-5 SB

Ramps

X C 28.2 B 19.2

Berkeley Street Southwest and I-5 NB

Ramps

X C 24.1 D 35.1

41st Division Drive and I-5 SB Ramps A 4.1 A 4.0
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page A-3

Intersection Level of Service – Existing Year 2010

Study Intersection

2010 AM Peak Hour 

(morning)

2010 PM Peak Hour 

(afternoon)

Name

Traffic

Signal LOS

Average Delay 

(seconds per 

vehicle) LOS

Average Delay

(seconds per 

vehicle)

41st Division Drive and I-5 NB Ramps A 2.7 B 17.3

Barksdale Avenue and DuPontSteilacoom RoadX B 18.6 B 14.5

Barksdale Avenue and I-5 SB Ramps X B 14.1 A 7.8

Barksdale Avenue/Locust Road and I-5 

NB Ramps

X C 24.5 C 29.1
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page A-4 Transportation Discipline Report

Intersection Level of Service – Future Year 2030

Study Intersection

No Build Alternative

AM Peak Hour

Build Alternative AM 

Peak Hour

No Build Alternative

PM Peak Hour

Build Alternative PM 

Peak Hour

Name

Traffic

Signal LOS

Average

Delay

(seconds per

vehicle) LOS

Average

Delay

(seconds

per vehicle) LOS

Average 

Delay

(seconds 

per vehicle) LOS

Average

Delay

(seconds

per vehicle)

East “D” Street and

East 26th Street

X C 20.9 C 21.2 E 72.6 E 72.8

East “D” Street and

East 25th Street

X B 10.7 B 10.8 C 21.9 C 22.3

East “C” Street and

East 26th Street

F* >300* F* >300* F* >300* F* >300*

East “C” Street and

East 25th Street

X B 11.6 B 11.6 B 17.4 B 17.5

South “C” Street and

South Tacoma Way

B* 11.9* B* 11.9* C* 16.6* C* 16.6*

South “C” Street and

South 25th Street

B* 14.3* B* 14.3* D* 29.7* D* 29.7*

South Chandler Street 

and South Tacoma 

Way

B* 11.0* B* 11.0* C* 18.3* C* 18.3*

South Chandler Street 

and Center Street

B* 13.3* B* 13.3* D* 26.0* D* 26.0*

South Alaska Street 

and South Tacoma 

Way

B* 10.8* B* 10.8* B* 14.4* B* 14.4*

South Alaska Street 

and Center Street

C* 24.1* C* 24.1* D* 33.0* D* 33.0*

South Wilkeson Street 

and South Tacoma 

Way

X B 10.8 B 11.0 B 19.4 B 19.4

South Wilkeson Street 

and Center Street 

X B 12.9 B 13.0 D 38.2 D 38.3

South Pine Street and

South Tacoma Way

X B 16.4 B 16.5 D 38.0 D 38.9

South Pine Street and

Center Street

X C 22.5 C 22.6 D 35.3 D 36.6

35th Street Southwest

and South Tacoma 

Way

X A 6.4 A 6.4 B 18.2 B 18.3

35th Street Southwest

and South Lawrence 

Street

B* 10.1* B* 10.1* B* 10.6* B* 10.6*

50th Street Southwest

and South Adams 

Street

A* 9.0* A* 9.0* A* 9.0* A* 9.0*

50th Street Southwest

and South Burlington 

Way

N/A* Traffic Circle N/A* Traffic

Circle

N/A* Traffic

Circle

N/A* Traffic

Circle

South 56th Street and

South Washington 

Street

X A 8.2 A 8.4 B 16.7 B 18.4
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page A-5

Intersection Level of Service – Future Year 2030

Study Intersection

No Build Alternative

AM Peak Hour

Build Alternative AM 

Peak Hour

No Build Alternative

PM Peak Hour

Build Alternative PM 

Peak Hour

Name

Traffic

Signal LOS

Average

Delay

(seconds per

vehicle) LOS

Average

Delay

(seconds

per vehicle) LOS

Average 

Delay

(seconds 

per vehicle) LOS

Average

Delay

(seconds

per vehicle)

South 56th Street and

South Adams 

Street/South

Burlington Way

A 4.1 A 4.7 A 5.3 A 5.8

South 56th Street and

South Tacoma Way

X B 19.3 B 19.4 C 27.2 C 27.9

South 56th Street and

South Puget Sound 

Avenue

X A 5.6 A 5.6 B 10.4 B 10.5

60th Street Southwest

and South Washington 

Street

A* 9.6* A* 9.6* A* 9.3* A* 9.3*

60th Street Southwest

and South Adams 

Street

A* 9.6* A* 9.6* B* 10.7* B* 10.7*

60th Street Southwest

and South Tacoma 

Way

C* 18.7* C* 18.7* E* 43.8* E* 43.8*

South 74th Street and

South Tacoma Way

X C 30.4 C 31.0 D 36.1 D 37.2

Steilacoom Blvd 

Southwest and

Lakeview Avenue 

Southwest

X A 6.7 A 7.0 A 9.9 B 10.2

Steilacoom Blvd 

Southwest and

Durango Street 

Southwest

C 16.5 C 16.6 B 13.5 B 13.7

100th Street Southwest

and Lakeview Avenue 

Southwest

X B 10.7 B 11.1 B 16.5 B 16.9

108th Street Southwest

and Lakeview Avenue 

Southwest

X A 9.0 A 9.3 B 12.7 B 13.0

108th Street Southwest

and Halcyon Road 

Southwest

A 6.1 A 6.2 A 8.9 A 8.9

Bridgeport Way 

Southwest and Pacific 

Highway Southwest

X C 22.4 C 22.5 C 27.2 C 26.8

Bridgeport Way 

Southwest and I-5 

Southbound (SB) 

Ramps

X B 11.8 B 11.8 B 14.5 B 19.8

Bridgeport Way 

Southwest and I-5 

Northbound (NB) 

Ramps

X B 15.0 B 15.2 B 16.3 B 17.0
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page A-6 Transportation Discipline Report

Intersection Level of Service – Future Year 2030

Study Intersection

No Build Alternative

AM Peak Hour

Build Alternative AM 

Peak Hour

No Build Alternative

PM Peak Hour

Build Alternative PM 

Peak Hour

Name

Traffic

Signal LOS

Average

Delay

(seconds per

vehicle) LOS

Average

Delay

(seconds

per vehicle) LOS

Average 

Delay

(seconds 

per vehicle) LOS

Average

Delay

(seconds

per vehicle)

Clover Creek Drive 

Southwest and

Hillcrest Drive 

Southwest

A* 9.4* A* 9.4* A* 9.5* A* 9.5*

Clover Creek Drive 

Southwest and Pacific 

Highway Southwest

B* 11.9* B* 11.9* C* 15.3* C* 15.3*

North Thorne Lane 

Southwest and Union 

Avenue Southwest

In 

2030 

Build

C 15.9 C 26.8 F 182.9 F 188.0

North Thorne Lane 

Southwest and I-5 SB

Ramps

X E 70.3 D 44.3 D 40.7 C 30.9

North Thorne Lane 

Southwest and I-5 NB

Ramps

X E 75.2 E 70.7 F 91.3 E 74.8

Berkeley Street 

Southwest and Union 

Avenue Southwest

In 

2030 

Build

F 102.2 F 83.5 F 64.1 D 42.9

Berkeley Street 

Southwest and I-5 SB

Ramps

X D 47.7 D 37.9 C 25.7 C 22.7

Berkeley Street 

Southwest and I-5 NB

Ramps

X C 23.2 C 23.0 C 29.8 D 41.9

41st Division Drive and

I-5 SB Ramps

C 32.5 C 32.1 A 9.7 B 11.9

41st Division Drive and

I-5 NB Ramps

C 28.2 C 31.3 F 105.5 F 103.7

Barksdale Avenue and

DuPont-Steilacoom 

Road

X B 19.4 C 22.2 C 24.2 C 25.9

Barksdale Avenue and 

I-5 SB Ramps

X B 10.6 A 6.8 B 11.4 A 6.6

Barksdale 

Avenue/Locust Road 

and I-5 NB Ramps

X E 62.5 E 57.6 E 56.0 E 55.8
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page B-1

Attachment B – Existing and Proposed Queue Lengths by 

Intersection
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page B-2 Transportation Discipline Report
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page B-3
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page B-4 Transportation Discipline Report
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page B-5
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page B-6 Transportation Discipline Report
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page B-7
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page B-8 Transportation Discipline Report
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page B-9
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page B-10 Transportation Discipline Report
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page B-11
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page B-12 Transportation Discipline Report
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page B-13
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page B-14 Transportation Discipline Report
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page B-15
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page B-16 Transportation Discipline Report
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page C-1

Attachment C – Lists of Assumed 

Projects in Travel Demand Models

Roadway Capacity Improvements Assumed by 2012

Map 

ID Project Name Project Limits Project Description Jurisdiction

1 Canyon Rd East 116th Street East to 172nd

Street East Widen to 7 lanes County

2 Canyon Rd East

Southerly Ext

192nd Street East to 224th

Street East New 3-lane roadway County

3 "D" Street Overpass Puyallup Avenue to Dock

Street

New 4-lane railroad 

overpass City

4 I-5 South 320th Street (Federal 

Way) to SR-16 Add HOV lanes WSDOT

5 Lakeland Hills Way Ext Lake Tapps Pkwy to 

Forest Canyon Rd New 2-lane roadway Developer

6 Military Rd East/122nd

Avenue East

830 feet S/O 136th Street

East to Reservoir Rd East

Widened/re-aligned 3-

lane roadway County

7 Old Man Thomas Rd 

East

62nd Street Southeast to 

Lake Tapps Pky East New 2-lane roadway Developer

8 Olympic Drive /56 

Street

38th Avenue East to Point

Fosdick Rd Widen to 5 lanes City

9 Pacific Hwy East Alexander Avenue to 

Port of Tacoma Road Widen to 5 lanes City

10 Radiance Blvd East ('A' 

Street East)

54th Avenue East to 70th

Avenue East New 2-lane roadway City

11 Shaw Rd Ext Pioneer Way to Main 

Avenue East New 5-lane roadway City

12 Sky Island Blvd Connection South to 

Rhodes Lake Rd East New 2-lane roadway City

13 South Prairie Rd East SR-410 to 200th Avenue Ct

East Widen to 5 lanes City

14 Spanaway Loop Rd 

South

174th Street South to Tule 

Lake Rd South Restripe to 4 lanes County

15 Spanaway Loop Rd 

South

S/O Garfield Street South

to N/O Wheeler Street

South

Widen to 5 lanes County

16 SR-16 I-5 to Olympic Drive

Northwest New HOV lanes, bridge WSDOT

17 SR-161 360th Street South (Federal 

Way) to Jovita Blvd East Widen to 5 lanes WSDOT
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page C-2 Transportation Discipline Report

Roadway Capacity Improvements Assumed by 2012

Map 

ID Project Name Project Limits Project Description Jurisdiction

18 SR-161 Jovita Blvd East to 36th

Street East Widen to 5 lanes WSDOT

19 SR-410 214th Avenue to 234th

Avenue Widen to 5 lanes WSDOT

20 Steward Rd Southwest SR-167 to Lake Tapps Pky

East Widen to 5 lanes City

21 Tyler Street South 38th Street to South

74th Street Widen to 3 lanes City

22 Valley Avenue East 70th Avenue to Freeman Rd 

East Widen to 5 lanes City

23 Wollochet Drive

Northwest

Artondale Drive Northwest

to 40th Street Northwest Add 1 southbound lane County

24 Wollochet Drive

Northwest

Fillmore Drive Northwest to 

Artondale Drive Northwest Widen to 5 lanes County

25 12th Street East 54th Avenue East to 

Alexander Street Widen to 3 lanes City

26 20th Street East 54th Avenue to 63rd Avenue

East Widen to 3 lanes City

27 32nd Street East Ext 54th Avenue East to Frank 

Albert Rd New 3-lane roadway City

28 48th Street East 70th Avenue East to 

Freeman Rd East Widen to 3 lanes City

29 56th Street/Point

Fosdick Drive

Olympic/Point Fosdick 

Drive to Olympic Drive/56th

Street

Widen to 3 lanes City

30 70th Avenue East SR-99 to North Levee Rd Widen to 5 lanes City

31 70th Avenue East Ext 176th Street East to 184th

Street East New 2-lane roadway Developer

32 86th Avenue East Ext 184th Street East to 192nd

Street East New 2-lane roadway Developer

33 92nd Avenue East Ext 204th Street East to 192nd

Street East New 3-lane roadway County

34 94th Avenue East 112th Street East to 116th

Street East Widen to 5 lanes City

35 94th Avenue East 116th Street East to 136th

Street East Widen to 5 lanes County

36 112th Street East

300' E/O Woodland 

Avenue East to 86th

Avenue East

Widen to 5 lanes County

37 112th Street East 58th Avenue to 300' E/O 

Woodland Avenue East Widen to 5 lanes County

38 112th Street East Ext 198th Avenue East to 300'

W/O 203rd Avenue East New 2-lane roadway County

39 122th Avenue East Ext 185th Street East to 200th

Street East New 3-lane roadway Developer

40 136th Street East Ext 62nd Avenue East to 

Woodland Avenue East New 2-lane roadway Developer
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page C-3

Roadway Capacity Improvements Assumed by 2012

Map 

ID Project Name Project Limits Project Description Jurisdiction

41 160th Street East Ext SR-161 to 110th Avenue

East New 3-lane roadway Developer

42 168th Street East Ext Gem Heights Drive East to

SR-161 New 2-lane roadway Developer

43 176th Street East Waller Rd East to SR-161 Widen to 5 lanes County

44 184th Street East Ext 70th Avenue East to 74th

Avenue East New 2-lane roadway County

45 184th Street East Ext 86th Avenue East

to Gem Heights Drive East New 3-lane roadway Developer

46 187th Street East Ext

(Lipoma Firs East)

Current terminus to 

122nd Avenue East Extend 3-lane roadway Developer

47 192nd Street East Ext 86th Avenue East to 92nd

Avenue East New 3-lane roadway Developer

48 198th Avenue East 144th Street East to 120th

Street East Widen to 4 lanes Developer

49

198th Avenue East/199th

Avenue Ct East/ 200th

Avenue Ct East

120th Street East to South

Prairie Rd East

Construct/widen to 5 

lanes County/City
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page C-4 Transportation Discipline Report

County Roadway Improvements Needed to Serve New Growth (2005 – 2030)

Project 

ID Facility Name Facility Limits Improvement Description

1 86th Avenue East 176th Street East to 152nd Street East New 3-lane roadway 

2 92nd Avenue East 204th Street East to 192nd Street East New 3-lane roadway

3 94th Avenue East 136th Street East to 116th Street East Widen from 2 to 5 lanes

4 94th Avenue East 144th Street East to 136th Street East Widen from 2 to 5 lanes

5 94th Avenue East 152nd Street East to 144th Street East Widen from 2 to 3 lanes

6 112th Street East 300' E/O Woodland Avenue East to 

86th Avenue East Widen from 2 to 5 lanes

7 122nd Street

East/Military Rd East Shaw Rd East to SR-162 Widen from 2 to 3 lanes

8 128th Street East 86th Avenue East to 90th Avenue

East Add channelization

9 128th Street East 94th Avenue East to SR-161 Add channelization

10 152nd Street East 94th Avenue East to SR-161 Widen from 2 to 3 lanes

11 160th Street East 78th Avenue East to SR-161 Widen from 2 to 5 lanes, 

Access control

12 160th Street East Canyon Rd East to Woodland 

Avenue East

Widen from 2 to 5 lanes, 

Access control

13 160th Street East Woodland Avenue East to 78th

Avenue East

Widen from 2 to 5 lanes, 

Access control

14 176th Street East 1000' E/O Canyon Rd East to 78th

Avenue East

Widen from 2 to 5 lanes, 

Access control

15 176th Street East 14th Avenue East to Waller Rd East Widen from 2 to 5 lanes, 

Access control

16 176th Street East 78th Avenue East to Gem Heights 

Drive East

Widen from 2 to 5 lanes, 

Access control

17 176th Street East “B” Street East to 14th Avenue East Widen from 2 to 5 lanes, 

Access control

18 176th Street East Gem Heights Drive East to SR-161 Widen from 2 to 5 lanes, 

Access control

19 176th Street East Waller Rd East to 500' w/o 51st

Avenue East

Widen from 2 to 5 lanes, 

Access control

20 176th Street East

Extension

BR #31195-A - Calistoga Avenue

East to Urban Growth Boundary New 3-lane roadway 

21 176th Street East

Extension

Urban Growth Area Boundary to 

130th Avenue East New 5-lane roadway

22 184th Street East 70th Avenue East to 74th Avenue

East New 2-lane roadway

23 184th Street East 78th Avenue East to Gem Heights 

Drive East New 2-lane roadway

24 198th Avenue East 120th Street East to Rhodes Lake Rd Widen from 3 to 5 lanes 

25 198th Avenue East/

199th Avenue Ct East

Rhodes Lake Rd East to 112th Street

East and Bonney Lake C/L to 104th

Street East

Widen from 2 to 5 lanes 

26 224th Street East SR-7 to SR-161 Widen from 2 to 3 lanes

27 Brookdale Rd East 152nd Street East to Canyon Rd East Widen from 2 to 3 lanes
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page C-5

County Roadway Improvements Needed to Serve New Growth (2005 – 2030)

Project 

ID Facility Name Facility Limits Improvement Description

28 Canyon Rd East 131st Street Ct East to 116th Street

East Widen from 4 to 7 lanes

29 Canyon Rd East 144th Street East to 131st Street Ct 

East Widen from 4 to 7 lanes

30 Canyon Rd East 160th Street East to 144th Street East Widen from 4 to 7 lanes

31 Canyon Rd East 172nd Street East to 160th Street East Widen from 4 to 7 lanes

32 Canyon Rd East 192nd Street East to 1000' s/o 176th

Street East Widen from 4 to 5 lanes

33 Canyon Rd East 72nd Street East to Pioneer Way 

East Widen from 2 to 5 lanes

34 Canyon Rd East 96th Street East to 72nd Street East Widen from 2 to 5 lanes

35 Canyon Rd East 106th Street East to 96th Street East Widen from 4 to 5 lanes

36 Canyon Rd East

Northerly Ext

Pioneer Way East to 70th Avenue

East New 5-lane roadway

37 Canyon Rd East

Southerly Ext 224th Street East to 192nd Street East New 5-lane roadway

38 Military Rd East/122nd

Avenue East

Sunrise Pkwy East to Reservoir Rd 

East

Widen from 2 to 3 lanes, 

realign at 136th Street East

39 Pioneer Way East Waller Rd East to Canyon Rd East Widen from 2 to 3 lanes

40 Portland Av East 112th Street East to SR-512 EB 

on/off ramps Widen to 5 lanes

41 Shaw Rd East/Military 

Rd East

Reservoir Rd East to 39th Avenue

Southeast Widen from 2 to 3 lanes

42 Spanaway Loop Rd S Military Rd S to 116th Street S Widen from 4 to 5 lanes

43 Spanaway Loop Rd S 174th Street S to Military Rd S Convert from 3 to 4 lanes 

(Restripe)

44 Wollochet Drive

Northwest

40th Street Northwest to Artondale 

Drive Northwest

Widen from 2 to 3 lanes 

(southbound lane)

45 Wollochet Drive

Northwest

Artondale Drive Northwest to East

Bay Drive Northwest Widen from 2 to 5 lanes

46 Wollochet Drive

Northwest

East Bay Drive Northwest to 

Fillmore Drive Northwest Widen from 2 to 5 lanes

Note: 1 - Projected V/S ratio was created by placing 2025 travel demand on 2004 road network.
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page C-6 Transportation Discipline Report

Other Improvements Included in 2030 Model Roadway Network

Facility Name Facility Limits

Improvement 

Description Proponent

20th Street East 54th Avenue East to 70th

Avenue East

Widen from 2 to 3 

lanes Fife

70th Avenue East 176th Street East to 184th

Street East New 3-lane roadway Developer/Pierce Co

70th Avenue East North Levee Rd East to 20th

Street East

Widen from 2 to 5 

lanes Fife

86th Avenue East 184th Street East to 192nd

Street East New 3-lane roadway Developer/Pierce Co

94th Avenue East 112th Street East to 116th

Street East

Widen from 2 to 5 

lanes Puyallup

112th Street East 58th Avenue East to 300' e/o 

Woodland Avenue East

Widen from 2 to 5 

lanes 

(under construction)

Pierce County

122th Avenue East 187th Street East to 200th

Street East New 3-lane roadway Developer/Pierce Co

136th Street East 62nd Avenue East to 

Woodland Avenue East New 2-lane roadway Developer/Pierce Co

160th Street East SR-161 to 110th Avenue East New 3-lane roadway Developer/Pierce Co

168th Street East Gem Heights Drive East to 

SR-161 New 2-lane roadway Developer/Pierce Co

187th Street East 122nd Avenue East to SR-161 New 3-lane roadway Developer/Pierce Co

187th Street East Gem Heights Drive East to 

SR-161

New 3-lane roadway 

(under construction) Developer/Pierce Co

192nd Street East 86th Avenue East to 92nd

Avenue East New 3-lane roadway Developer/Pierce Co

198th Avenue East 120th Street East to Rhodes 

Lake Rd

Widen from 2 to 3 

lanes Developer/Pierce Co

198th Avenue East 144th Street East to 120th

Street East

Widen from 2 to 4 

lanes Developer/Pierce Co

198th Avenue East/

199th Avenue Ct 

East/ 200th Avenue

Ct East

Rhodes Lake Rd East

to South Prairie Rd East

New/Reconstructed

2-lane road way Developer/County/City

199th Avenue Ct 

East/ 200th Avenue

Ct East

112th Street East to Bonney 

Lake C/L and 104th Street East

to South Prairie Rd East

New/Widened 5-lane 

roadway 

Bonney 

Lake/Developer

Cascadia Westerly 

Access 198th Avenue East to SR-162 Construct new 4-lane roadway Developer/Pierce Co

I-5 Federal Way to Port of

Tacoma Rd Add HOV lanes WSDOT

I-5 Port of Tacoma Rd to SR-16 Add HOV lanes WSDOT

I-5 South 48th Street to Pacific 

Avenue

Improve SR-16 

Interchange and 

Collector/Distributor

WSDOT

Lake Tapps Pkwy 

East

Sumner-Tapps Hwy to 

182nd Avenue East

New 3-lane roadway 

(under construction) Pierce Co

Lakeland Hills Way Lake Tapps Pkwy to 

Forest Canyon Rd New 3-lane roadway Developer/Pierce Co
Point Defiance Bypass Project September 2012

Transportation Discipline Report Page C-7

Other Improvements Included in 2030 Model Roadway Network

Facility Name Facility Limits

Improvement 

Description Proponent

Old Man Thomas 

Rd East

Lakeland Hills Way to 

Lake Tapps Pkwy New 2-lane roadway Auburn/Developer

Shaw Rd East Pioneer Way to Main Avenue

East New 5-lane roadway Puyallup

Sky Island Blvd Connection south to 

Rhodes Lake Rd New 2-lane roadway Bonney Lake

South Prairie Rd 

East

SR-410 to 200th Avenue Ct 

East

Widen from 2 to 5 

lanes

Bonney 

Lake/Developer

SR-16 Olympic Drive Northwest to I5

Add HOV lanes/new 

bridge, interchange 

improvements

WSDOT

SR-161 176th Street East to 234th

Street East

Widen from 2 to 5 

lanes 

(under construction)

WSDOT

SR-167 SR-410 to 15th Street

Northwest (Auburn) Add HOV lanes WSDOT

SR-410 214th Avenue East to 234th

Avenue East

Widen from 2 to 5 

lanes WSDOT

SR-704 (CrossBase Hwy) 176th Street East to I-5

New 4-6 lane 

highway, 

Close Perimeter Rd

WSDOT

Stewart Rd 

Southeast (8th

Street East)

SR-167 to Lake Tapps Pkwy Widen from 2 to 5 

lanes Pacific/Sumner

Valley Avenue East 54th Avenue East to 70th

Avenue East

Widen from 2 to 3 

lanes Fife

Valley Avenue East Freeman Rd East to 70th

Avenue East

Widen from 2 to 5 

lanes Fife
September 2012 Point Defiance Bypass Project

Page C-8 Transportation Discipline Report

Map of Improvements included in the 2030 Demand Model for the Tacoma Area